Recalling the Past
by SuperJedders
Summary: Overwatch has fallen, years have passed and agents have been scattered to the wind. That is until a recall is issued, summoning Overwatch agents back to active duty. Who will answer the call, what will the newly rebranded Overwatch strive to achieve & what will happen when ghosts from the past begin to show their faces? Written from Jesse McCree's POV - Linked to Dawn of Absolution
1. Back In The Saddle Again

Early morning sunlight gleamed through the moth-eaten curtains of the dingy motel room Jesse McCree had called home for the past two weeks. The place looked like it was stuck in a 80's time warp, the ugly floral pattern on the walls littered with patches of mould, the paper peeling from the ceiling and the furniture so old that sitting down on it too heavily would cause a cloud of dust to erupt from it. The place had been cheap, out of the way and despite the gross stickiness of the carpet beneath his boots the bounty hunter had decided it would be better than sleeping rough in some abandoned warehouse or under the stars again.

A gentle snoring rumbled from the bed as Jesse lay on his front, tangled in the off-white sheets, his robotic limb hanging over the edge of the bed and a pool of drool having formed under his face. He smacked his lips together as the sun cast across his face, grumbling in annoyance and rolling over away from the harsh light, the bed creaking and groaning beneath his body weight. His snoring increased with the shifted position, the gunslinger content to doze off. He didn't stir the first time there was a knock at his door, simply mumbled in his sleep after the fourth attempt. The door to his motel room being kicked at certainly woke him however.

He jolted awake as the door was kicked open with a bang. His right hand flew towards the bedside table, grasping for his peacekeeper as he tried to get off the bed only proceeding to have his legs tangle further in the bedsheets and send him to the floor with a thud, the gun weakly raising towards the door as he heard the chuckling from an all too familiar female voice.

 **"** **Fuckin' hell you tryin' to give me a dam heart attack?"** he muttered, his voice thick with sleep as he slapped his gun against the floor and rolled onto his back, untangling his legs from the bedsheets, his fingers fumbling with the fabric before he grabbed onto the bed and pushed himself up from the dirty carpet beneath him only to sit heavily on the edge of the bed, dragging a hand over his face as a yawn captivated him, his brown hair splayed out in all directions and a look of bewilderment on his face.

The female laughed again, shifting her weight to her right foot and raised an eyebrow at him. **"Well if you bothered to answer the door I wouldn't have to bust in on you"** she replied curtly, gently taking the chance to adjust her plaid top that had risen just above her mid-section, revealing a sapphire belly button piercing and an intricate flower tattoo on her hip. Her long hair was tied in a plait, the vibrant red colour unnatural but suiting the woman's rebellious personality and attire.

Jesse rubbed at his left shoulder, rotating some stiffness from the join before looking to her **"Well if you didn't guess, I was sleepin'"** he said before scratching at his beard before leaning back and yawning loudly. **"So, whatcha' need that was so dam important you had to bust open my door at the ass crack of dawn?"** rubbed at his eyes with his right hand, taking a second to pick some grit that had accumulated in the corner of his eyes, casually flicking it away from his fingers.

 **"** **Such the gentleman, you think I wanted to bust in and see you in nothing but your Y fronts?"** she teased, watching the cowboy glance down to his boxers briefly before his lips parted in retaliation

 **"** **Now hold on jus' a sec-"**

 **"** **-You owe me cowboy."** She slotted her hands into the back pockets of her jeans casually **"Now I know you said you were going to come into some money soon, but after that barfight you caused last week I need the money for a new bust. So, cough up"** she demanded.

Jesse frowned at her, remembering the god awful looking bust of a previous motel owner that had been perched precariously on the end of the bar. He vaguely remembered using it to defend himself from a barstool that had been swung in his direction. He exhaled, reaching for his pack of cigarillos and popping one from the pack, quickly slotting it between his teeth and looking for his lighter. **"Way I see it, I done you a favour darlin' that thing was a goddam eyesore that was scarin' away good customers"** he flicked his lighter, lighting the cigarillo between his teeth and drawing a breath before exhaling the smoke and flicking his lighter shut.

 **"** **That eyesore was my great grandfather! "** The woman retorted, having plucked a cigarette into view and gesturing towards the gunslinger, Jesse lighting it for her with raised eyebrow.

 **"** **Then I'm sorry but y'all need to hire a different artist, that thing looked like dam rabid raccoon that lost a fight with a truck"** he chuckled at the fury on her face before getting to his feet, tossing the lighter on the side and drawing another breath from his cigarillo, the smoke escaping his lips. **"Besides, if memory serves I didn't start that fight so you can't hold that over me."** He had his cigarillo balance between his teeth again as he sauntered towards the kitchenette, filling the old kettle and letting it boil, leaning against the counter and folding his arms with a cocky smirk. He watched the female fume and smoke her own cigarette while she failed to think of a suitable response to his words. Chuckling to himself, he grabbed a cup from the cupboard and sneering at the stains within its china interior, taking a moment to rinse it under the tap before hunting for the half empty pack of coffee granules he had.

As he messily spooned sugar and coffee into his cup delicate hands ran up his exposed back, resting on his shoulders, fingers kneading his tense muscles before a chin rested on his shoulder, hands roaming around to the front of his torso. Jesse set down the spoon with a gentle smirk, turning around and tilting his head gently at the woman, her hands roaming over his chest, tracing across old scars occasionally, her gaze hidden somewhat behind her bangs. **"I thought we had a good thing going here? Or am I wrong Joel?"** she rested her arms on his shoulders, her hand interlinked behind his head as she met his gaze, biting on her lip, cigarette balanced between her fingers. The gunslinger had told her a false name, the female none the wiser to the real identity of the man before her.

Jessed placed his hands on her hips, feeling the female press closer to his exposed torso **"That we do darlin' but this ain't related to that is it?"** he murmured raising a hand and gently cupping his finger under her chin with a gentle smile. She rolled her eyes at him, pulling away with an exasperated sigh, allowing Jesse to resume making himself a coffee.

 **"** **Can't blame a girl for trying."** She said, leaning against the island counter **"I take mine black, no sugar"** she shot the cowboy a grin when he glanced over his shoulder at her before he mechanically grabbed another cup from the cupboard, stubbing out his cigarillo in an alrady full ashtray on the side.

Soon the pair were stood opposite each other with a warm cup of coffee between their hands, both had stubbed out their smokes and were staring each other down, Jesse breaking the silence first. **"Look Melissa, I can't give you what I don't have. Last bounty ain't paid up jus' yet but when it does-"**

 **"** **-You said that last time."** She exhaled in annoyance pinching the bridge of her nose before continuing **"Look, I like having you here. It's nice having someone stay that isn't a complete dickhead, but I can't let rooms go for free"** she sipped from the coffee wincing at the taste and setting the cup down **"Urgh, you make god awful coffee. How you manage that with instant coffee is beyond me"** she said.

Jesse nodded in gentle understanding, finishing his own drink **"Shucks I'm blushin'. Besides, the coffee tastes alright to me"** he mused, remembering the diner he had spent much of his Deadlock gang days in. The middle-aged woman that had worked there, Doris. She had been a lovely soul to all that had entered the diner but the slightest hint of trouble brewing and she would rain down on the poor souls like a battle-axe. Made a mean roadkill burger but the coffee had always tasted boiled dirt. He smiled at the memory for a moment before setting his cup down and meeting the females gaze. **"Lemme make myself presentable, then we can see about makin' some sort of agreement a'ight?"** the female nodded. **"Make yerself comfortable"** he said before grabbing his clothes from around the room and vanishing into the tiny bathroom to shower.

O O O O

Melissa wandered about the motel room, picking up various items out of pure curiosity. The handful of flashbangs tucked in the corner of the room by a gold BAMF buckle made her wonder what type of man this Joel was. A gentle bleeping grabbed her attention, causing her to spin on her feet listening carefully over the noise of the shower. Again, a melodic bleed rang out, muffled under something in the room. She glanced towards the bathroom, the sound of the cowboy warbling something to himself that was somewhat reminiscent of a song told her she had plenty of time to investigate.

She'd overturned the sofa, the bed and even searched the kitchen, setting everything back afterwards before she finally turned her attention to the tattered cowboy hat that rested on a neatly folded red serape by the door. Lifting the hat, she rummaged through the layers of the folded serape, her hand clasping around a metal device and tugging it free. The circular device had some sort of ear piece wrapped around it, the female unwinding the cable and setting the ear piece aside before examining the chrome finish. It was unlike any phone she had ever seen, resembled something along the lines of a compass. As she tapped the front a few times the screen illuminated, the Overwatch logo in the background immediately grabbing her attention alongside the message dialogue box on screen;

 _To: J. McCree  
From: Gibraltar_

 _Subject: Attn; Overwatch Recall Initiated_

McCree? Her eyes widened taking the opportunity to pull a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and quietly unravelling it, staring at the faded wanted poster, a glint in her eyes. 60-million-dollar bounty on the outlaw Jesse McCree. Dead or alive.

The click of the bathroom door unlocking grabbed the female's attention causing her to whirl around and hiding the poster and device behind her back just as Jesse stepped into the room. The gunslinger was buttoning up his shirt with a melodic whistle before he paused and glanced up to her, frowning at her almost suspiciously. **"Y'alright? You look more nervous than a hooker in church."** he said folding his arms and glancing around the room. Melissa tensed, biting the inside of her lip and almost expecting the cowboy to identify that she had been snooping from a speck of dust being out of place. Instead Jesse chuckled and wandered around his bed to fetch his belt and holster, ruffling a hand through his damp hair and continuing his gentle whistling.

Melissa seized the opportunity to crush the poster back into her jean pocket along with the device, folding her arms and relaxing for a while. **"So, I've been thinking about our little agreement"** she spoke up softly, plucking her phone from her top pocket and constructing a short text message before continuing **"I think I can wait a little longer for that payment after all"**

Jesse glanced back over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow **"Really now? That's mighty kind of ye' darlin'"** he said turning back and continuing to rummage through his bedside table again **"So why the change o' heart?"** he asked.

Melissa glanced towards the door of the motel room, biting on her lip before answering him **"Well I remembered an investment that I can cash in on, so that'll pay for the damage to the bar."** Her hand snaked towards the base of her spine, fastening around the grip of a pistol she always had tucked into the waist of her jeans. The motel she ran wasn't the most legit of places and the cliental she dealt with meant she always ensured to have a gun on her. Dead or alive the poster had said.

The device she had taken from the cowboy bleeped loudly in her back pocket again, drawing a curse from her mentally. She had intended to wait for a better opportunity but thought against it as Jesse ceased his searching. Quickly drawing the gun, she aimed it towards the cowboy, removing the safety and was startled when Jesse rounded on her at the same time with his peacekeeper in his right hand and a stern look etched on his brows.

Silence. The pair were as still as statues, muzzles of the guns pointing directly at each other. Jesse broke the silence first **"I don't like shootin' a lady, so I'd appreciate it if you'd put the gun down"** his gaze didn't waver, Melissa scowling at him in return and shaking her head.

 **"** **Fat chance, there's a nice bounty on you. Jesse McCree."** She enunciated his real name, every syllable like poison. Rich, bountiful poison **"More than enough for me to retire somewhere nice. Why don't you toss the gun aside and I won't have to worry about the mess shooting you will make"** her finger twitched on the trigger, threatening the cowboy.

McCree frowned in response, lips parting to retort when the infernal beeping of his Overwatch comms device caused him to roll his eyes **"Ya mind darlin'? I'm assumin' you took the liberty of snatchin' it from me while I was in the shower"** he asked holding out his left hand for it, the metallic limb glinting briefly as the sun reflected off it. Melissa's free hand moved towards her back pocket defensively the cowboy rolling his eyes at her **"Pretty certain we're at a stale mate here pumpkin, jus' hand it over"** he prompted watching as the female reluctantly fished the device from her pocket and tossed it towards him. **"Thank ye' kindly"** he murmured, having just about caught it with his left hand. Keeping the gun trained on her he tapped at the screen, barely averting his gaze, a look of thought crossing his features. A recall? Now?

 **"** **So, you were part of Overwatch"** Melissa stated, mentally reminding herself to keep her gun trained on the man before her as he slotted the device into his shirt pocket.

 **"** **Not quite, I rolled with a much different crowd"** he shifted his focus to her fully, a strange look in his brown hues. He had heard the voices down the hall, and knew Melissa didn't intended on taking him down alone.

 **"** **Forgive me sweetheart"** he said, before his gun jerked towards her leg and barked loudly. The bullet tore through flesh and muscle, downing the woman with a scream of shock and agony her own pistol clattering to the floor as she grabbed at the wound.

 **"** **You bastard! You fucking bastard! You shot me!"** she yelled, about to grab at her gun when Jesse darted over, kicking it away with his foot before reaching behind her, taking a second to throw his serape over his head. He paid little attention to the woman at his feet who was still grasping at the bleeding wound in her leg. **"You fucker!"** she spat painfully.

 **"** **Ye' I get that a lot, not like you weren't gun' shoot me. All's fair in love an' war sweetheart'"** he muttered, slapping his hat on his head, checking his gun and glancing to the door of his room as rapid footsteps thundered up the stairs. Frantic voices signalling more company. His hand clamped over Melissa's mouth when she went to yell more obscenities him, her words muffled into the palm of his hand. **"Keep grumblin' and you'll have more than a flesh wound to worry about"** Jesse hissed, crouching close to her, the scent of cigarillos, dust and shower gel wafting from him. Jesse took a slow breath, gun drawn at his side ready.

O O O O

When the men burst into the motel room with guns, Melissa let out a muffled scream to draw their attention. Despite all three men spinning towards the noise, Jesse was already on his feet and fired first. The initial shot connected with the forehead of the male on the far right, blood spraying from the wound and the body staggering backwards. As it hit the floor with a sickening thud the peacekeeper was already trained on the middle target and barking loudly and drawing a yell from the assailant as the bullet collided with their knee, bone splintering on impact and sending him to the ground. By the time, McCree had his peacekeeper trained on the third he was staring down the barrel of the automatic rifle.

Diving behind the couch as the gunman open fired, Jesse kept his back pressed firmly against the musty fabric, wary of the bullets shredding the edges and tearing up the wall in in front of him, pieces of fabric, foam and plaster raining down on him. He bided his time, checking the rounds in his peacekeeper briefly and placing his left hand against the floor, poised for the inevitable click of an empty magazine which would signal his chance to retaliate.

Clunk!

McCree drew a breath and reacted, popping up from behind the like a jack rabbit, his peacekeeper barking twice in succession and silencing the last two men. He stood confidently, watching thick crimson blood pool by the kitchenette before breathing out and letting his gun arm drop to his side. He never enjoyed taking lives, no matter what the circumstance. With Blackwatch it was taking out the trash, doing a little bad for a whole lot of good and for Deadlock it was simple survival instincts. As a bounty hunter, he had cultivated the best of both, dispensing justice where he saw fit, allowing some to live and just fighting for his survival where needed. Reyes had always told him that the life of the criminals they took down were not worth a fleeting thought. Ana Amari, however, carried the weight of her kills heavily, striking a notch in her gun sparing a thought for those with a family, friends.

 _'_ _Better to spare a thought for those who lives we are forced to take. It makes us human, stops us becoming the monsters we fight'_ her words had stuck with him for years, Gabe's too. Sometimes having conflicting advice made it harder to know how to react.

 **"** **McCree"**

He had let his guard down. Not for long but for a snake in the grass it was long enough to strike. The call of his name caused him to turn towards the noise, finding Melissa stood awkwardly across the room from him, lopsided in pain with her pistol gripped tightly in her right hand, the left clutching a blood-soaked cloth to the bullet wound he had inflicted. The crazed look in her eyes, messy hair and tear stained face matched the pure menace of her words.

 **"** **Fuck you!"**

The first shot collided with his chest, a burst of pain and a hot wave of panic washing over him as he stumbled backwards and felt his back meet the wall waiting for the sticky sensation of blood to soak his chest, waiting for the pain. Nothing? His right hand moved to the spot, feeling the hole in his shirt and no blood just the sensation of shattered glass jostling in his pocket. A breath caught in his throat as realisation began to wash over him before the second shot struck him in the left shoulder, driving a cry of agony past his lips and sending a white-hot pain searing through the nerves. Dark crimson blossomed from the wound immediately, the cowboy sliding down the wall to sit on the floor grasping at the wound with a grimace, slow breaths helping drive the pain towards the back of his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, waiting for another shot to collide with his body and cursing himself for letting his guard down. Instead he heard the thump of a body hit the floor, opening his eyes to take in the scene before him.

Melissa was slumped in the corner, blood pooling from a chest wound and a stillness falling over her that only death could create. He hadn't heard his gun fire, didn't recall pulling the trigger but he knew the damage his peacekeeper dealt. He had fired out of pure instinct. Survival instinct.

Leaning his head back against the wall he exhaled slowly allowing his right hand to release his left shoulder, sucking a pained breath past his teeth as blood flowed freely again from the wound. Slowly he eased his blood-stained fingers into his shirt pocket, fumbling to pull the shell of his Overwatch Communication device free. The metallic back was dented, the pistol bullet having driven into the case and shattering the screen. A few taps of his thumb and the screen spluttered briefly, the recall message displayed as a kaleidoscope of unidentifiable shapes and colours before the device died in his hand. A worthy sacrifice. He let the device drop from his grip, moving his hand back to the wound in his shoulder and grunting painfully. A recall after all this time? Whether it was legit or not, would even entertaining the idea be a wise choice?

Slowly pushing himself to his feet, concern was etched on his face as the fingers on his left hand juddered and twitched involuntarily. **"Shit"** he muttered, grabbing a towel from the side and pressing it against the bullet wound with a hiss of pain. The bullet had torn into some of the complex wirings and nerve endings that allowed his robotic limb to react to his thoughts. He had spent the last few years maintaining the limb himself, but this was something beyond his level of 'expertise'

As he cast his eyes around the room he found his gaze shifting back to the broken comms device on the floor as the glass crunched beneath his boots, a tired smirk crossing his features. **"Still got my back after all this time"** he mused thoughtfully before exhaling softly and adjusting his hat **"Maybe it's time to get back into the mix."**


	2. Home Sweet Watchpoint

Watch point Gibraltar had always been a central point for McCree. It was always a central hub for Overwatch and Blackwatch, containing state of the art training facilities, medical equipment and hands down the best canteen food of all the bases. The base had been built on the coast a significant distance from the nearest city but utilised the key landmark of the small British owned island; the rock of Gibraltar. Part of the monolithic limestone promontory had been handed to Overwatch for repurposing, every aspect built around the environment, mindful of the wildlife in the area. The perks of such a location, aside from being secure and in a prime location, was the ocean views that could be seen from nearly anywhere in the base. In fact, Jesse had spent a lot of his time at the base outside enjoying the fresh air and watching the sun set behind the old lighthouse. Since the fall, the bases had been abandoned, becoming a shell of their former glory days and Gibraltar was no exception to his. The once welcoming building was dirty, some windows broken, the Overwatch flag that had once flown proudly at full mast was weathered and tattered. Nature had begun to reclaim it's territory too, various foliage having erupted beneath gaps in the paths, ivy crawling up the side of some of the buildings and plants weaving around the fence that secured the perimeter. It was eerily quiet, like a dark cloud hung over the place threatening to smite any who dared to step upon such sacred ground. Seeing a place, he had known as home in such a sorry state actually hit the cowboy harder than he had expected as he approached the main entrance and scowled at the locked gate blocking his entry. The broken keypad easy confirmation that contacting Winston or even trying the old code was out of the question.

His dark hues scanned around for some sort of alternative route before he spotted a gap in the fence just large enough for the duffel bag he had slung over his shoulder. Beat chucking hid luggage over the fence or carrying it when he inevitably had to climb over. Chewing a little on the cigarillo between his teeth he trudged towards the gap, overgrown grass crushed beneath his boots before he shrugged his bag off his shoulder, shoving it through the gap in the fence and taking a step back to size up the fence he now had to climb, a thoughtful look etched on his face.

Plucking his cigarillo from his lips he crushed the embers beneath his booth, taking a moment to look at his robotic limb with an exasperated sigh when the fingers hesitated before awkwardly jerking at his commands, twitching and shaking, the actions sporadic and lacking the usual finesse and fluidity. Since the incident in the motel room he had patched up the bullet wound in his shoulder but the damage done to his robotic limb as a result of the injury had become more apparent when the swelling faded. Travelling incognito from America to Gibraltar had not been easy by any means, but it had given him a chance to assess the mechanical damage himself while the flesh wound healed. That being said, after nearly two weeks of hopping between various transports, sleeping rough, trading favours and avoiding any official intervention from authorities the gunslinger was dying for a decent night sleep and a warm shower. His right hand grasped at the fence, tugging briefly before his left awkwardly grabbed the metal rung above it, three of his metal fingers splayed out unnaturally against his will. He cursed under his breath, knowing he would have to rely heavily on his right arm to haul himself up and over the fence.

The climb itself didn't take too long, but with his robotic limb playing hardball Jesse found himself latching his flesh arm around the fence to stop himself falling backwards a few times, gritting his teeth until the limb settled and allowed him to continue. Up, over and finally he dropped back down onto ground level, spurs jingling as his boots thudded against the ground. Wiping sweat from his brow he adjusted his hat, grabbing his bag and slinging it back over his shoulder, trudging up the path towards the main part of the building, his senses heightened listening for the slightest noise. All he could hear was the whistle of the ocean wind through shattered windows and empty halls, the occasional bang of a door that had been left open or the chatter of Barbay Macaques that had always scuttled about the base.

Pushing open the door to the main building, he wasn't surprised by the groan the hinges expelled, almost as if the door couldn't be bothered. The dimly lit hallway before him caused him to pause, shadows cast across the floors and walls distorting shapes and making the place feel unfriendly. Leaves, dirt and dust had lined the halls, the paint peeling from the walls and having flaked away completely from some patches to allow mould to settle in. The cold air held a tinge of must to it, like old clothes that needed to be taken outside and battered. Maybe the recall had been falsified, maybe he was walking directly into a trap like a dam fool. Drawing a slow breath McCree adjusted his holster into a more accessible position on his hip, right hand brushing over the cool feel of his peacekeepers wooden grip to reassure him before he walked on. The sound of his spurs jingling echoed in the hallway, his bag rustling with each step as he let his gaze drift to see each door he passed, faded name plates and deserted briefing rooms increasing the tension in his right hand as he placed it above his gun. He was walking into the belly of the beast and knew not what would await him at the end, maybe venturing back here had been a bad idea after all.

The sound of scuffling footsteps caused him to turn on his heels, gun drawn and gaze stern, looking for the source. Nothing? He narrowed his eyes suspiciously about to call out when the small animal trotted into view, the primate sitting down with a piece of fruit in its grip, large eyes meeting the gaze of the cowboy who immediately relaxed with a small chuckle. The macaques had clearly managed to find a way into the building, the cunning primates native to the island right at home within this part of the base. McCree holstered his gun, watching the monkey happily gnaw at its piece of fruit before it began to approach the gunslinger, slowly walking closer only to stop when Jesse crouched on the balls of his feet, arms resting on his legs.

He had always enjoyed watching the antics of the monkeys around the base in the old days, frequently teasing Winston about how the gorilla should hang out with his distant cousins from time to time. Oddly enough Winston had never seen the funny side of that joke, but the critters had often been seen with items they had liberated from unsuspecting Overwatch and Blackwatch agents; jewellery, socks, clothes and even weapon parts. It was nice to see something hadn't changed at the watch point despite all that had happened.

Jesse plucked his hat from his head, grasping it between his hand and ruffling his hair with his metal limb, feeling the heat now he had overcome the initial chill of the abandoned hallways. The monkey had begun to edge closer, clearly curious about the headpiece that was tantalisingly close. A small hand reached for the fabric, Jesse tugging it out of its reach just in time, startling it into fleeing down the hall as he shook his head. **"Nice to see some things never change"** he murmured, returning his hat to its usual perch atop of his head.

He had been pushing himself to his feet when a heavy blow collided with the back of his head. The sudden assault had knocked his attempt to stand off course, the gunslinger awkwardly staggering away from his assailant while spinning to face them, trying to draw his gun in defence. It all happened far too quickly, his vision was spinning as he tried to regain his balance, the small silhouette that stood before him was female and yet completely unrecognisable. A high-pitched yell in a language he couldn't quite place rang through the air before the butt of a gun collided hard with his forehead knocking him out cold, his body hitting the floor like a sack of bricks.

The female exhaled in relief before approaching the male and peering over the body curiously, her gun trained on him cautiously. The man was dressed unusually; a dusty orange serape, boots and cowboy hat thrown off by the robotic metal limb that, even now, was twitching involuntarily despite his unconscious state. The rough beard and chestnut hair added to the rugged appearance, along with the scent of cigarillos that wafted from the man. Her finger pressed against her earpiece as she kept her gun aimed on the mans chest **"Enemy neutralised"** she announced confidently, kicking the base of McCree's boot with her own to check he was definitely out cold. As Winston praised her work, informing her that he was on his way to assist with detaining the unknown male. Needless to say, the young woman didn't take her eyes off the intruder for a second a smile gracing her delicate features as she took pride in her skills.

The sound of Winston making his way down the hallway after a long period of silence grabbed her attention, the young woman stepping aside and folding her arms, allowing him to look over the intruder. The look of alarm and surprise on the Gorilla's face made her nervous, especially when a name was muttered.

 **"** **You know him?!"** she cried, watching as Winston scooped the cowboy into his arms easily, slinging him over his shoulder before beginning to shamble down the hallway with a muttered confirmation. She paused at the words, biting her lip **"** **젠장 "** she muttered to herself, grabbing the strangers bag before racing after Winston.

[ **젠장** \- Jenjang - Dammit]


	3. Reunion?

_Initial Analysis complete. Running full diagnostic scan._

The female robotic voice range in the dark confides of Jesse's mind followed by the sound of a chair squeaking as someone sat down in it, fingers typing furiously on a keyboard and tapping against a touchscreen by the sounds of it. He twitched, allowing his consciousness to return to him, slowly opening his brown hues with a grunt of discomfort as a dull headache settled behind his eyes. The room blurred into focus slowly, quite dimly lit but strangely familiar. Discarded peanut butter jars were strewn about the place, disabled computer terminals which were once a glow with various tid-bits of information were coated in a layer of dust but yet a few remained active, their dim glow one of the main sources of light in the room. Heavy lids closed again briefly before he forced them open again, allowing eyes to lazily roll in their sockets as he examined the room and tried to gather his scrambled thoughts, recalling the figure that had clocked him round the head. His right hand immediately shifted gently to his side, seeking the comfort of his peacekeeper but finding his holster empty. A hot wave of panic coursed through his gut before he shifted his left arm, feeling heavy resistance against the robotic limb and glancing to it.

He had been settled in an old chair, the dark leather was cracked and weathered, the arm rests chipped and worn down with age. His robot limb had been strapped to the arm of the chair, a bundle of cables and wires hooked up to it, feeding information to one of the computer terminals nearby. A few of the wires disappeared beneath his shirt, the gunslinger noting his breastplate had been removed and the top few buttons of his dark shirt undone to allow sensors to be attached. His eyebrows drew together in a frown before he reached for the cables, fully intending to rip them loose.

 **"** **I wouldn't do that if I were you"** A soft female voice startled the cowboy, his head whipping round to spy the petite figure sat on the dusty sofa in the corner. She held a device in her hands, the screen giving off the faintest of glows that barely lit her features. She looked young, but without proper lighting the cowboy couldn't assume much else. He did take note of the slight accent in her tone however, but failed to place it. Chinese? Japanese? Korean perhaps? Nevertheless, he didn't appreciate the situation he was currently in.

 **"** **An' whys'at darlin'?"** Jesse asked, shifting his weight in the chair slightly by using the heels of his boots to push himself into a more upright position.

The young female looked back to her device, chewing on her lip as she concentrated on the screen **"You'll mess up the results"** she responded, before reaching off to the side and plucking a can of drink into view. Sipping from it and setting it back down, barely missing a beat as she resumed tapping furiously at the buttons on the device, the clicking of each press only driving the headache deeper into the cowboy's brain.

Jesse scowled, about to retort when he caught movement in his peripheral vision and whipped his head towards it, the large shape oddly familiar.

 **"** **Oh, you're awake."** The large figure reached for something on the wall, the room suddenly engulfed in bright lights, drawing a wince from everyone as their vision was assaulted by the sudden change.

 **"** **Well butter me up and call me a biscuit! Winston!"** Jesse grinned in relief, watching as the gorilla made his way over, placing a large hand on his robotic limb and glancing it over, huffing at it in disapproval.

 _Diagnostic scan complete. Results are currently being collated._

The restraints were undone the second Athena finished speaking, Jesse pulling his robotic limb free and running his right hand over it, swinging his legs over the side of the chair **"This how y'all treat guests now big guy? Must say I've had nicer welcome parties"** He teased, flashing the scientist a wolfish smile and running his right hand through his mess of chestnut hair, pausing as he realised his hat was missing, glancing around for it.

 **"** **It would have been a friendlier welcome if you had responded to the recall message"** Winston grunted, sliding his glasses back into position before gesturing towards the corner of the room where McCree's stuff had been placed. His duffel bag rested on the metal workbench, his hat and peacekeeper lying on top and his breastplate and serape beside it, all waiting patiently to be reunited with their owner.

Jesse pushed himself off the chair, strolling over to his items and plucking his hat off the top, glad to have It back where it belonged **"Ye' sorry 'bout that."** he murmured, smirking as he plucked his peacekeeper off the bag, examining the revolver gently before spinning it and lodging it firmly back into its holster. As he set about fastening his shirt buttons he took a proper look at the small female sat on the sofa, still engrossed in her handheld device.

Long brown hair framed her delicate features, her soft complexion highlighted by two bright pink triangles on each cheek. She was built small, her delicate frame not lending her to fighting in the cowboys' eyes and certainly not helped by the tight fitting blue and pink jumpsuit she was dressed in. The cowboy looked back to his belongings when she suddenly closed the device and jumped off the sofa. **"Heading to the kitchen Winston, need anything?"** she asked, the Gorilla politely declining her offer. Her footsteps were silent as she left the room, Jesse watching her from beneath the brim of his hat.

 **"** **You've met Miss Song already"** Winston had shuffled over, the large Gorilla surprisingly silent and startling the cowboy briefly. The Scientist noted the confusion that crossed McCree's face and smiled **"You bumped into each other in the hallway"** he watched realisation cross the gunslingers grizzled features.

 **"** **She was the one who-?"** Jesse began, baffled and embarrassed that a child had gotten the upper hand.

 **"** **Correct"** Winston chuckled to himself, scratching at the side of his jaw before continuing to explain **"Athena alerted us to an intruder and she offered to investigate. Of course, had you made your arrival known then Hana wouldn't have taken such measures"**

 **"** **An' there's me thinkin' ya'll were greeting everyone with a concussion."** The mumbled, rubbing at his forehead, feeling a bump forming and frowning in annoyance. **"So, what's her story? Hirin' kids now?"** he asked, the Gorilla shaking his head.

 **"** **Miss Song"** he stopped himself, correcting his formality **"Hana, is part of the South Korean MEKA Unit. When the country needed human driven MEKA Units they resorted took to recruiting pro-gamers due to their transferrable skills. Hana is a professional in a game called StarCraft I believe. She and others have successfully defended South Korea thus far and when I sent out the recall a select few offers were distributed to those identified by Athena as potential recruits. Among those I received answers from, Hana was one of the first to respond. She's been here around a week now"**

Jesse rubbed at his jaw, feeling his course hair beneath his fingers and noting his need for a shave **"A MEKA pilot and Gamer eh? S'pose there's no harm in givin' the kid a chance"** he mused before wincing as his robotic limb jerked involuntarily at his side, fingers splaying out and adopting an unusual array of angles. **"Fuckin' thing"** His hand grasped at the limb, noting Winston's concerned expression.

 **"** **Athena is currently collating the diagnostic results for your arm. You've been taking good care of it, I was unable to locate any surface damage that would cause such a malfunction"** Winston said, eyeing up the limb curiously, almost expecting to spot something he had missed.

Jesse exhaled slowly **"Ain't been havin' any trouble with it. Been lookin' after it, reparin' any damage as best I could" he said with a gentle smile "Ran into a spot of trouble recently though. Took a bullet to the shoulder"** he said, gently rubbing at the spot the bullet had connected **"Dam thing's been playin' up ever since"**

 **"** **That would explain its sporadic behaviour"** Winston said, his features settling into a heavy frown **"If it's related to the nerve wiring connections then you will need to wait for Doctor Ziegler to arrive. I do not have the expertise to resolve such a problem"**

 **"** **Hold on, ya'll managed to get Angie on board?"** he said, unable to hide his excitement at seeing the Blonde-haired medic again. The pair had been fairly close in the old days, having joined around the same time, being around the same age and having had many interactions as a result of Jesse's arm and of course the rescue and rehabilitation of Genji.

 **"** **Hey Cowboy! Catch!"** Jesse turned, just about catching the bottle of water that the young Korean had tossed to him. He unscrewed the lid, placing the bottle to his lips and gulping at the water, realising after the first sip how dry his throat was. He stopped only to come up for air, gasping and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand

 **"** **Much appreciated"** he said, replacing the lid on the bottle and setting it on the side, drawing his hand over his face to wake himself up a little more. He looked back to Winston, noting the Gorilla still examining his robotic arm from behind his thick rimmed glasses. **"You want me to pop it off for ya' big guy?"** McCree said with a chuckle, the Gorilla looking taken aback and grunting.

 **"** **Er-no, that's not necessary. Athena will have some results soon"** he paused, large hand scratching at his head before noting the duffel bag on the side **"Oh there is the matter of your sleeping arrangements. Your old quarters are free, if you wanted to-"**

 **"** **-Ya'll kept my room?"** the gunslinger was surprised that hadn't handed his room to the next fresh faced recruit. Then again, he doubted many new recruits passed through the doors after he took his leave. Tugging his breastplate back over his head, he fastened it into position before slinging his duffel bag back over his shoulder and laying his serape over the top.

 **"** **I'll let you get settled. Come and see me when you're ready, there is something I need to show you"** the serious expression on the scientist's face unsettled the cowboy slightly but failed to remove the grin from his features as he tipped his hat in acknowledgement, spurs jingling as he moved to leave the room, navigating the hallways without so much as a second thought. It was like being Home.

O O O O

Brow hues scanned the various doors he passed, his boots thumping heavily against the floor and echoing in the dim hallway. He recalled every room he needed to pass before arriving at his quarters, pausing outside the door and looking at the name tag, text hidden by a layer of grime. He frowned, using his thumb to wipe away the dark layer of history to reveal the fading text.

 _Agent J. McCree_

He took a slow breath, licking at his lips before shaking his head and grasping the door handle. The door resisted his attempt to open it, a small crack allowing very little insight into the room. Adjusting the bag at his side he braced his shoulder, driving his body weight into the door with a dull thud with little result. Undeterred he tried again, holding the handle for support and throwing his body into the door again, ignoring the dull ache that shock waved through his shoulder. The door gave way, swinging open and sending the cowboy stumbling into the room. He caught his footing, wincing and rubbing at his shoulder before casting his gaze about the room, a saddened expression flickering across his rugged features.

The room hadn't been touched since he left that day. The scent of cigarillos and alcohol were heavily swamped with that of dust, damp and history. He shrugged his bag off his shoulder, letting it thud against the floor, sending a cloud of dust spiralling towards the ceiling and drawing a small cough from him. Old packets of cigarillos rested on the various units around the room, coated in a thick layer of dust, he could even see an odd sock peeking from under his chest of draws, left behind in his haste to pack that day. The door to the bathroom was open a crack, engulfed in darkness but no doubt the porcelain features were now stained by stale water, coated in the dirt and dust only time could create.

His gaze settled on his bed. Still made to the military standard Reyes commanded from him, the thin sheets slightly moth eaten now but barely a crease across it. The pillow had an unsightly yellowish tinge to it now, but neatly placed in front of it was his old hat, exactly where he had left it. Plucking the dark hat from the bed, he let his thumb run over the fabric, passing over an old bullet hole and letting a smile tug at the corner of his lips. A close call with a sniper. He recalled how Reyes had lectured him after that incident, the commander having snatched the hat from his head and proceeded to wave it around like a flag as he screamed at him about how foolish he had been.

 _"_ _I don't see yer problem. I did as you asked, no harm done. Ain't that how we work?" Jesse spoke with a cocky undertone, his gaze was dark, a cigarette balanced between his lips as he glared at his commander, caring very little for the blood that had dried on the side of his head._

 _"_ _No harm done?! Your actions were reckless, you disobeyed direct orders!" Reyes was fuming, barking at the younger recruit, spit flying from his mouth and the veins in his neck and on his temples pulsating "You could have gotten killed out there!"_

 _"_ _I got the job done, in an' out. That's what ye' said. Besides, I had it under control" his hat was snatched from his head, Jesse gritting his teeth angrily at the action, about to demand it back._

 _"_ _Under control?!" Reyes barked, the hat following his flamboyant arm motions "You call this, under control Kid?!" he shoved the hat in his face, pointing out the bullet hole that had torn through the fabric, drawing a surprised look from the cowboy. "You get the job done, but your recklessness will get you and others killed. Next time I give you an order you had better fucking follow it or it'll be more than your hat with a hole in it. Understood?!"_

 _Jesse grasped at the hat feeling his anger and stubbornness dissipating immediately. Nodding he ran a hand over the hole, strands of hair falling over his eyes. He hadn't even felt the bullet connect, he hadn't seen the sniper who took the shot. Caught up in the moment, he was fortunate to have had lady luck shining on him that day._

 _A heavy sigh escaped the commander "Look kid" Reyes rubbed at his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment before continuing "You do good work, really good work. Just stop flying by the seat of your pants and think about your actions in future"_

 _Jesse was still staring down at his hat, silent. A large hand clapped on his shoulder, squeezing briefly "Come on Rookie, Angela will have my head if I don't get you to her for that head wound." He gently nudged Jesse into motion "Besides, that shot you made earlier is deserving of a drink. Headshot at what…20 meters?"_

 _Jesse raised his gaze "45 Meters accordin' to Athena" he said with a sly smirk, falling instep beside Reyes, placing his hat back on his head._

 _"_ _Fucking hell kid" Reyes said "Do me a favour, and rub it in Morrison's face when we get back" he said, smirking at the chuckle that escaped the cowboy._

 _"_ _Sure thing, boss"_

Gold glinted up from the bed, distracting McCree from his thoughts. Setting the hat down, Jesse allowed a tired smile cross his face as his gaze settled on his old belt buckle. Plucking the metal piece from the bed he sighed softly, admiring the skull detail, the eyepatch a sign of his old nickname, call sign. His past.

 **"** **Deadeye"**

The voice startled him, his attention turning towards the door where Hana was stood. She leant gently against the doorframe. He frowned, glad his hat shadowed the expression he was pulling as he tried to work out if his own mind had said his old name or whether it had been the young Korean.

 **"** **That was your callsign right? Deadeye?"** Hana spoke up, a glint of curiosity in her eyes.

Jesse tossed the buckle back onto the bed, tilting his hat back slightly with a suspicious frown **"What's it to ya'?"** he asked, folding his arms and watching the young girl straighten up, hands clasping together.

 **"** **Just interested. Winston says you were a great shot back in the old days-"**

 **"** **-Was?"** Jesse huffed, irked by the turn of phrase.

 **"** **His words not mine"** Hana said, raising her hands in surrender.

Jesse scowled **"You got any reas'n fer followin' me sweetheart? No offence but I'd rather be alone right now-"**

 **"** **Well I came to apologise for kicking your ass earlier"** Hana retorted, folding her arms and shifting her weight to her right foot **"But if you're going to be rude then I won't bother"**

Jesse exhaled, chuckling to himself before smiling at her **"You got lucky darlin'. Rest assured it won't happen again"**

 **"** **Hm we'll see"** Hana said, meeting his smirk.

Jesse placed his hands on his hips, glancing down briefly while shaking his head, hat slipping forwards **"Yer really somethin' darlin'. Maybe we can settle this the old-fashioned way"** he noted the curiosity on her face **"Shootin' range. We'll see who's the better shot"** he said, tipping his hat back from his eyes.

Hana grinned, the idea of a challenge igniting her competitive side **"Challenge accepted. You're on cowboy!"** she said, nodding once and turning to leave before pausing **"Oh! There's fresh sheets and stuff down the hall unless you like them moth-eaten?"** she said before disappearing from sight, leaving the cowboy with his thoughts and a smile on his face.

O O O O

 **"** **Winston?"** Jesse strolled back into the main room, glancing around and noting a number of other computer screens had been switched on. Having ditched his breastplate, serape and gun he was at ease in his brown shirt and pants, the top two buttons of his shirt undone, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows as usual. His hat remained firmly on his head, a habit and also useful for hiding his dreadful hat hair. He needed a proper shower, but after inspecting his quarters more thoroughly he would need a fair amount of elbow grease to bring the bathroom up to a suitable working order.

Adjusting his hat, he stepped past the Gorillas battle suit, suspended and, judging by the loose wires and missing metal plates, undergoing maintenance. On the workbench lay a number of many unfinished devices, one resembling a larger version Lena's Chronal Accelerator. The large tyre that had been suspended from the ceiling was a new feature, a means of exercise for the Scientist perhaps? The scent of peanut butter hung in the air, but thankfully the doors being opened allowed a sea breeze to wash through the room, a gentle cleanser.

Shuffled sounds drew Jesse's gaze up towards the balcony area a frown crossing his features as he noticed the shattered glass that would typically separate the monitoring room. Come to mention it, there were a few things that unsettled him; the escape pod for instance that had clearly fallen from the ceiling and the occasional burns and grazes on walls and floors that signified a firefight. He placed a hand on the railing, climbing the stairs towards the balcony level, stepping into the monitoring room and plunging his hands in his pockets as he noticed the Gorilla lounging at the terminal, multiple screens up. He had a jar of peanut butter in his hands, feet absently tapping at the screens as he scooped out another wad of his treat, lips enveloping around his fingers happily.

 **"** **Y'know if yer busy I can always come back later"** Jesse thumbed over his shoulder with a smirk, the Gorilla startled by his arrival and nearly falling off his chair.

 **"** **Uh, no, no. I didn't expect you- oh"** he fumbled around, frantically tapping at screens and setting his peanut butter jar on the side. No doubt had it been possible the Gorilla would have been blushing a deep scarlet. Winston gestured for the cowboy to approach the terminal, a deep chuckle resonating from the cowboy as he strolled over.

 **"** **So whatcha wanna show me big guy?"** he asked, arms folding over his chest, weight shifting to his left side.

Winston had composed himself, bringing up a number of documents on the screen **"I wanted to discuss the reason I initiated the Recall"**

 **"** **Yer tellin' me this ain't a fancy reunion shindig?"** Jesse raised and eyebrow, noting his humorous remark was not getting a rise from the Gorilla and abandoning the attempt, forcing a more serious expression to allow Winston to continue speaking.

 **"** **No, I initiated the recall after an altercation here between myself and Talon agents a few weeks ago"**

Jesse snapped his attention to the Gorilla **"Talon came here? Guess that explains the broken glass"** he rubbed his jawline **"Shit but y'alright though?"** he asked, the Gorilla nodding with a grunt.

 **"** **Talon have been seeking out ex Overwatch agents and eliminating them, it took me a long time to notice the pattern. Many assassination attempts looked like accidents or the result of sickness but they are becoming more brash with their actions. They came here with the intention of extracting the full Overwatch Agent Database from the main servers"** he paused, noting the wide eyes look Jesse shot him before tapping at a few screens to bring up some CCTV Footage. **"Athena managed to record the event-"** he pressed play and allowed the footage to explain the rest.

Jesse watched the somewhat grainy footage, seeing the Talon agents enter the room scouting for the Gorilla they knew resided there. A deep frown settled on his features as he watched the Gorilla defend the base, throwing agents around, grimacing briefly at the electricity before leaning forward as he noticed the dark smoke seep into the room, heading directly for the server. **"That fuck was that?"** he asked. As the footage continued the cowboy found himself placing his hands on the control panel, eager to absorb every aspect of the footage he was being shown, watching the smoke return, forming a ghostly figure with a white skull mask. The footage began to flicker, a result of the hack trying to take Athena offline but still Jesse's brown hues remained transfixed on the screen, watching the fight, every shotgun blast aimed at the Gorilla delivered with no remorse. Finally, it was over, the strange ghost creature apparently eviscerated by Winston's Tesla canon. The surveillance cut out, behind the scenes Winston had been frantically preventing the Database being extracted, and despite the cowboy knowing the ending the ominous dark screen actually made him shift his footing, feeling uneasy. A small breath escaped him involuntarily as the screen spluttered back to life, just in time to catch the smoke forming and escaping through a crack in the door.

Silence. Stunned silence.

 **"** **Shit"** Jesse stepped back after uttering the curse, dragging a hand over his jaw and rubbing round to the back of his neck, feeling sweat on the back of his neck. Winston was staring at him, silently questioning his thoughts. **"Talon are using the Blackwatch Playbook…"** He chewed the inside of his cheek thoughtfully **"I thought it was a one off with the train-"** he muttered to himself, surprised when Winston tugged up the news reports on the screen. **"Oh ya heard 'bout that huh?"** he said with an uneasy smile.

 **"** **Reports said you were responsible for the heist. I had my doubts naturally"** Winston adjusted his glasses, shrugging his shoulders.

 **"** **Ye' they were usin' Blackwatch tactics. Fast Ropin' on a train that speed, lookin' fer sumin' on board. I ended up givin' it to em, they were sendin' backup and I didn't fancy the chances of someone in first class bein' a good enough shot to give me a hand"** he said. He rested a hand on his hip, hanging his head and shaking it, his other hand rubbing at his forehead before he dragged a hand down his face and lifted his gaze back to the screen. **"So, what the fuck was that ghost thing? I've seen all sorts of fucked up shit, but I ain't never seen nuthin' like that. Fucking creepy ass ghost wearin' a scream mask…"**

Winston nodded **"He's been working with Talon a while. Goes by the name of Reaper. He has been the one adopting the more, brash assassinations on Overwatch agents. I can't find out much else about him, but his knowledge of the organisation is very disturbing"**

 **"** **Reaper?"** Jesse repeated the name, disliking the feel of the name on his tongue. It was bitter, foul and despite his best attempts sent a chill down his spine **"So what else do we know about screamo?"** he asked, thumbing through the loops of his belt and resting his weight heavily on his back foot.

 **"** **All I am able to gather is that he can regenerate his body-"**

 **"** **-which explains how he smoked outta here afta' meetin' the business end of yer gun."**

 **"** **Um actually it's a Tesla cannon-"** Winston interjected, raising his index finger but huffing as he noticed the Cowboy didn't really care about those details.

McCree rubbed at his nose, letting out a heavy sigh **"Gotta be able to kill him, ain't nothin' in this world that can't be put down with a well-placed bullet"** he mused, scratching as his beard **"Can ya send me everythin' ya got on him?"** he asked.

Winston nodded **"Two heads are better than one, I'll send everything to your communication device-"**

 **"** **Ah, about that…"** he fished in his pocket, plucking the shattered device into view and placing it into the large hand of the Scientist. Winston scowled at it, noting the bullet lodged in the back of the case, the broken glass and wiring.

 **"** **Well this explains why you failed to answer the recall message"** Winston shook his head, placing the device on the side with a heavy sight **"I'll have a new one made for you. Come and see me tomorrow and I'll see about repairing your arm as well. Athena returned some promising results"** he grumbled, turning back to his screen.

 **"** **Much Obliged"** Jesse said, tipping his hat and turning to leave only to pause at the door with a thoughtful expression, rotating his robotic limb briefly before speaking **"Winston, how many agents have Talon taken out?"** he asked, his gaze shifting to the floor, his right hand gripping the doorframe.

Winston glanced over, swallowing once **"Well, exact numbers are very difficult. I don't know exactly when Talon began to-"**

 **"** **-Roughly?"** McCree snapped, glancing back over his shoulder and seeing the saddened expression on the Gorilla's face, the sadness in his eyes. The number was needed, the expression said enough. **"Shit, that many?"** Jesse asked, the gorilla nodding once. Jesse exhaled, running his tongue over his teeth **"A'ight."** He muttered, his spurs jangling as he left the room without so much as a parting glance.


	4. Settling In

The following day Jesse retrieved his new comms device from Winston, allowing the Scientist to make some minor adjustments to his misbehaving robotic limb. **"That's all I can do for now, but it should keep until Doctor Ziegler arrives."** Jesse had thanked the primate and returned to his quarters, making a significant attempt to clean the room and locating all sorts of lost items he had simply forgotten about during his time in Blackwatch. Moth eaten sheets were tossed away alongside old, empty cigarette cartons and empty bottles he had hidden about the room. Odd socks, even the occasional t-shirt that had gotten lost at the back of drawers or disappeared behind units were retrieved and added to his pile of rubbish. Hana had stopped by a few times, poking fun at the treasures piled outside his quarters.

 **"** **Oh-em-gee…What- what is this?"** She laughed, plucking an old cardboard item off the unit and scowling at it. The body was made from thick cardboard, roughly coloured in with brown pen, the wool that had been stuck to it was ragged and frayed with age and the pegs attached to the front and back served as some rather creative legs. Even so, it did little to detached from the over-sized eyes and goofy grin drawn on the object. **"** **Is this supposed to be a horse?"** Hana laughed, turning it over to examine it from various angles, minding her fingers on the rough edges of the pegs.

Jesse paused to glance over his shoulder, a soft smile gracing his grizzled features as he laid eyes upon the cardboard horse **. "It's my loyal steed…"** the words rolled off his tongue without a moment's hesitation, the gunslinger loosely tossing an old Blackwatch shirt back into the chest of drawers and making his way over, hand outstretched for it. The homemade mule was placed in his hand with a sceptical gaze in the Koreans eyes.

 **"** **Hold on, you…have kids?"** she asked, her arms folding across her chest, head tilting to one side.

Jesse chuckled, shaking his head at the question **"Nah, old friend o'mine made it specially fer me a long time ago"** his dark hues softened as held the creature in his fingertips, turning it to admire the shoddy craftsmanship.

O O O O

 ** _"_** ** _Jesse!"_** _the shrill voice of the young Amari rang out through the halls as she ran through them, hunting for the cowboy. Bursting into the breakout area she chewed on her lip, dark hues scanning the various faces before she rose up on her tip toes to see further, her brow furrowing at the lack of the cowboy's hat. Annoyance and disappointment washed over her, a gentle huff escaping her as she let the heels on her feet hit the ground again, shoulders slumping._

 ** _"_** ** _Who you looking for kiddo?"_** _Gabriel was lying on the couch, his arm resting over his eyes but raised slightly so he could peer at the young Amari lazily with one eye._

 ** _"_** ** _Jesse..."_** _Fareeha took the conversation as an invitation, approaching the Blackwatch commander with her hands plunged into the pockets of her dress._

 _Reyes let his arm rest back over his eye with a grunt of thought_ _ **"Tried the shooting range?"**_

 ** _"_** ** _Yeah…"_**

 ** _"_** ** _Canteen?"_**

 ** _"_** ** _No sign"_**

 ** _"_** ** _What about outside? He's probably slacking somewhere with a smoke"_**

 _Fareeha sighed and nodded, scuffing the front of her shoes against the floor_ _ **"Yup, I've tried everywhere I can think of"**_

 ** _"_** ** _Afraid I can't help you then. He'll turn up though, always does"_** _Gabriel mumbled, his voice heavy with sleep._

 ** _"_** ** _Who always turns up?"_** _Fareeha turned her attention to the heavily accented French voice and smiled at Gerard, the Overwatch agent walking into the room mindlessly scrolling through his mobile._

 ** _"_** ** _I'm looking for Jesse, have you seen him?"_** _she asked, hands clasping together hopefully._

 _Glancing up from his phone Gerard let a smile cross his features as he laid eyes upon the young Amari girl, tucking his phone in his pocket and nodding._ _ **"Oui, I saw him in the Library not 20 minutes ago"**_

 _Gabriel snorted himself awake, propping himself up with a look of disbelief_ _ **"Wait- what?"**_ _he stared at the man shaking his head_ _ **"You're mistaken..."**_

 ** _"_** ** _Non, I'd recognise that hat of his anywhere"_** _Gerard drew his hand over his face, tracing the thin moustache that lined his upper lip briefly and shrugging his shoulder, noting Fareeha's excitement at knowing the location of the gunslinger. The young girl uttered her thanks and darted from the room at breakneck speed, leaving the two men alone._

 ** _"_** ** _So, you're telling me you saw Jesse McCree in the Library…"_** _Gabriel was sat up now, planting his boots on the floor and shooting Gerard a suspicious frown_ _ **"Doing what?"**_ _he asked._

 ** _"_** ** _Reading? I didn't pry Gabriel, I just passed through to return a book Amelie borrowed"_** _he chuckled at Gabriel's stunned expression, setting himself down in the armchair and plucking his phone from his pocket again_ _ **"Leave the lad be Gabe, it's not like reading is an unusual pastime"**_

 ** _"_** ** _It is for McCree"_** _Gabriel frowned, lips puckering as he lost himself in thought._

 _Fareeha raced through the halls, dancing around Reinhardt and ducking out of reach as he attempted to ruffle her hair with his large hand. Her shoes slapped noisily against the hard floor before she skidded to a halt outside the library and allowed herself to heave a couple of breaths, her heart thumping and her lungs aching from her sprint. Dragging her fingers through her hair to tame the wayward strands she brushed down the front of her dress before drawing a slower breath and confidently strolling into the library, glancing around and grinning as she saw the all too familiar hat set down beside the Blackwatch agent._

 ** _"_** ** _Jes-"_** _she clapped her hands over her mouth, shooting a nearby Overwatch agent an apologetic look before biting on her lip and silently approaching the cowboy from behind._

 _Jesse was hunched over a book as Gerard had said, his head leaning in his right hand a serious expression etched on his face as he allowed his left index finger to run over the dark inked words. Turning the page with a gentle exhale the sudden weight on his shoulders as Fareeha clamped her hands down on them startled him._

 ** _"_** ** _Fucki-'!"_** _the curse slipped past his lips before he could even give it a thought. Glancing over his shoulder he grimaced and raised a hand apologetically at the Overwatch agent who had been disturbed before, clearing his throat and turning back around. The young girl had parked herself in the chair beside him, arms folded and resting on the table as she grinned at him._

 ** _"_** ** _Hey Jesse"_** _she whispered happily, practically wiggling in the seat._

 _Jesse exhaled, dragging his hand over his face_ _ **"Hey"**_ _he mumbled quietly, raising an eyebrow at her. She was excited, fitting to burst by the looks of her and the cowboy didn't really have the patience to deal with her today._

 ** _"_** ** _Whatcha doin'?"_** _the cowboy found himself caught off guard by the mock accent Fareeha had thrown at him, nearly missing the girl lean over to look at what he was reading. His left hand moved quickly to slam the book shut, dragging it out of her line of sight._

 ** _"_** ** _Nuthin' important"_** _he grumbled._

 ** _"_** ** _I've been looking all over for you"_** _Fareeha explained, tilting her head at him before she plucked his hat from the table and examined it_ _ **"Tried your room, the canteen, shooting range even your smoking spot-"**_ _she had been about to place the hat on her head when it was snatched away from her grip by the cowboy and returned to its rightful place atop of his head. She didn't like the irritated look on his face, but decided her reason for hunting him down would resolve his sour mood._

 ** _"_** ** _Don't you have anythin' better t'do_** _?" Jesse pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes glowering at her from beneath the brim of his hat._

 _Fareeha met his scowl_ _ **"Well Mr Grumpy, I came to find you to give you something"**_ _she retorted, fishing in her pocket and plucking out a crudely made horse, setting it on the table with a smile_ _ **"I heard you talking with Torbjörn about how you missed your steed so I made you one. It's not very good, but I didn't have much stuff to make it with"**_ _she said, leaning on the table and watching for his reaction._

 _Jesse stared at the cardboard horse with peg legs, confusion crossing his face as he plucked it from the table and turned it around in his hand. Fareeha's words drew his brown hues to her. Loyal steed? He recalled a conversation with Torbjörn the other week where he had- his eyes widened in realisation before he began to laugh._

 _The chuckle resonated from his very core, the cowboy unable to hold back his laughter at the misunderstanding. He had been discussing his old Hoverbike with the Dwarf and referred to it as his loyal steed. Fareeha had clearly overheard and linked the cowboy apparel thinking he was talking about a horse. The young girl was now staring at him uneasily, unsure why the cowboy was laughing. Pulling himself together Jesse wiped a small tear from the corner of his eye and grinned at her_ _ **"I like it, wrong kind of steed fer me"**_ _he chuckled again but looked at the horse fondly_ _ **"Never ridden a horse in my life..."**_ _he could see her confusion and flashed another smile at her_ _ **"Hoverbikes were always my steed o'choice, but I really like this, thank you"**_ _he plucked his hat from his head placing it on hers and watching it fall over her eyes._

 _Fareeha chuckled, lifting the hat from her eyes and smiling at Jesse_ _ **"Well if you're going to be a cowboy you should have a horse"**_ _she was glad he liked her gift and even more pleased to see it had lifted his sour mood. She found her gaze drifting once again towards to the book he had been reading, shying away when his hand rested on the front cover and he met her gaze with a stern expression. They sat in silence for a moment before he sighed in defeat and dragged it into view, flicking open to the page he had been reading. A frown etched on her features as she took in the images and text on the page. Tales, stories and images of the Omnic crisis, how it affected different towns, cities and countries. Including Santa FE in New Mexico. She looked up at the cowboy gently, noting the solemn expression that crossed his young features, everything slotting into place in her young mind._

 _Jesse stared down at the open book, aware of Fareeha sliding off her chair beside him. He tensed when her arms wrapped around him, the young Amari nestling against his side and squeezing him tightly. Glancing down to her his arms were held up and away from her awkwardly_ _ **. "Everything will be ok. You're with family now..."**_ _she murmured into his side._

 _Jesse stayed frozen before relaxing and smiling at the young girl still wearing his hat, his arms wrapping around her small form and squeezing gently in return._

 ** _"_** ** _Y'know what? I make you right on that one darlin'"_**

O O O O

Jesse had opted to keep the cardboard horse, setting it on his windowsill despite the teasing he received from Hana and her constant prying into its origin. His quarters were cleaned to an acceptable level, old items tossed out with the trash and even the bathroom cleaned up so he could use it without the risk of catching some sort of disease.

The base still felt unusually quiet despite Winston confirming the number of agents who had responded. Some were waiting in their home countries, preferring to see what would happen of the newly reformed Overwatch, others were busy and waiting for personal commitments to end before travelling to Gibraltar. That being said, there were now a few new faces around the base of which the gunslinger had grown to know over the past few days.

 **"** **Watch yourself Eastwood!"**

McCree turned sideward, narrowly avoiding the male who barrelled past on skates, the Brazillian turning and skating backwards with a grin of apology and a salute of farewell. Lucio had arrived a few days prior, making a dramatic impact on the mood and noise levels within the base. His music certainly wasn't to the cowboy's taste but he appreciated the man's drive and after hearing what he had done to bring down Vishkar influence in Rio he held the DJ in high regard.

 **"** **Reck'n we need to put in some speed restrictions in the halls"** McCree mumbled as he entered Winston's lab, taking a moment to adjust his hat and glance around for the large Gorilla, smirking when he saw the large Primate hanging from his tyre swing with a jar of peanut butter in his grip.

 **"** **Oh. Jesse, I'll be right with you" Winston** eased himself down from the Tyre with ease, setting his peanut butter jar on the side and adjusting his glasses before approaching the former agent. **"Are the temporary repairs holding out alright?"** he asked with a gesture to the mechanical limb.

Jesse shifted his weight to his right foot, thumbing through his belt loops and nodding in response **"It's holdin' together for now. Twitching comes an' goes but not much else ye' can do till Angie gets here"** he glanced towards the large screen detailing the location of each agent, his brow creasing in thought **"Any more updates big guy?"** he asked, Winston huffing and turning his attention to the screen also.

 **"** **Reinhardt and Torbjörn have confirmed, but won't arrive for a week or two. Doctor Ziegler reckons she will arrive in around two weeks once her work in the middle east has completed and Lena is primed to leave London tomorrow morning"** Winston scratched at his head, catching the troubled look etched on the gunslingers grizzled features **"You have concerns?"** he asked.

Jesse shook his head **"Nah, jus' can't believe how few are left of the old gang."** His gaze didn't leave the screen, an eyebrow raising as he spotted Genji's agent number flicker briefly around Nepal **"So, nothin' from Genji?"** he asked, the Gorilla shaking his head.

 **"** **His location is sporadic, chances are his comms device may also be damaged-"**

 **"** **-or he jus' don' want to be found"** McCree mumbled, exhaling slowly before flashing a false smile at Winston **"Well I'ma go get some grub, want anythin'?"** he shrugged as the Gorilla shook his head **"Suit yerself"** he turned on his heels and left the Gorilla to his peanut butter jar.

O O O O

After much deliberation, dinner for the gunslinger turned out to just be pot of instant noodles. The cupboards were becoming increasingly bare, fortunately Hana and Lucio had offered to go on a supply run the following day so the shortage wouldn't last long. Twirling his fork Jesse let his gaze lift to the Television screen mounted in the canteen area, the noise drawing his attention away from the number of empty tables around him.

 **"** **We are now Live in Kings Row where Tekhartha Mondatta, Leader of the Shambali, is preparing to give a speech to mark years of peace and address current Human and Omnic rights"**

Lifting the fork to his lips the gunslinger gently blew on the noodles to cool them down, watching the camera pan across the crowd of humans and Omnics that had turned out to listen to the preacher. He'd met the Omnic briefly during the uprising of Kings Row years ago and agreed with the view point he tried to instill. Brown hues watched the Tv with intrigue as he tucked into his dinner, wincing occasionally as the hot noodles would burn his lips or tongue, the Omnic Preacher calmly addressing the crowd, un-phased by the cheers of his name and the vast array of signs bobbing up and down.

 **"** **Before me I see the future, humans and Omnics standing together, united by compassion, by common hopes and dreams. Together we shall-"**

One of the bodyguards had stepped into view, whispering hushed words and urging the Omnic towards the stage exit, the action causing Jesse to stop eating and sit to attention, his brows furrowing as he analysed what was being shown on screen. Why stop the speech? Was there a counter protest causing trouble, a threat made behind the scenes?

 **"** **We're receiving reports of a security breech but at this time nothing has been confirmed. Mondatta is currently being escorted away from the area much to the disappointment of those who have turned out in droves to hear him speak"**

The new anchor's voice cut over the feed, the camera trained on the Omnic monk as he was eased through the crowd, humans and robots parting like the red sea to allow the Shambali leader to pass through. About to resume eating the distant popping of what sounded like gunfire had the cameraman whirl around towards the sound, an unmistakable flash of blue across the rooftops causing McCree to slap his cup of noodles down and lean forward wide-eyed.

 **"** **We're receiving reports of distant gunfire. Nothing has been confirmed but we'll keep you informed as information is received"**

The camera centred back on Mondatta as he neared his car, Jesse scowling, unaware that he was leaning forward more as time passed, his hand on his knee. The explosion that detonated on the roof had the camera whirling around to watch, gasps of fear and awe rumbling through the crowd as a figure fell from the roof, another leaping off after it. The silhouettes were hard to decipher until the first vanished in a flash of blue just as a loud bang resonated through the air.

 **"** **NO!"**

The camera spun back around at the emotional outcry only to settle to the limp form of Mondatta. The Omnic lying flat on his back in the foot well of the car, the bullet wound smoking slightly as a result of fried circuits and hot metal. The noise that erupted from the TV as the news anchor tried to speak over the video feed fell on deaf ears as McCree practically threw himself off the bench and took off down the hallway. His arms pumped at his sides, boots pounding the hallways loudly before he burst into the control room, knowing Winston would be there.

 **"** **Winston! Tell me you were watchin' the news jus' now. I think Lena was-"** he paused, staring at the large screen where two feeds were being streamed. The first was the news channel, the image of Mondatta's body almost frozen on the channel if not for the slight sway of the camera. The second was a personal feed the Gorilla had brought up, the feed showing Lena clawing herself to her feet and struggling to stay standing as her Chronal Accelerator sparked and fizzed violently. The feed confirmed the cowboy's suspicions, his hand rubbing the back of his neck as he approached the Gorilla.

 **"** **Shit. She doin' alright?"** he asked, the words drawn out by his southern drawl.

 **"** **I managed to make initial contact, Lena is unharmed but her chronal accelerator is severely damaged"** he continued to frantically type, the feed still following the Brit as she struggled away from the scene, relying heavily on the wall for support. **"Once she arrives home I have asked her to connect the device to the dock so that Athena can connect and run some diagnostics. I only hope it will remain stable long enough for the repairs to be made…"**

Jesse noticed the growing concern form across the Scientists features and placed a hand on the primate's shoulder to reassure **him "She'll be fine, that device ya made her is tough as nails. It'll hold"** he said with a small smile. Winston seemed unconvinced and only grunted before cutting the feed as Tracer arrived at home.

 **"** **I hope so, for now we just need to wait"** the Gorilla's shoulder slumped slightly, a feeling of helplessness washing over him.

Jesse has long since removed his hand, folding his arms and watching the news feed in silence before clearing his throat and grabbing a spare chair **"Well then, I s'pose I'd best get comfortable"** he said heavily sitting down and tilting his hat back, noting Winston's questioning look **"Y'all think I'm guna jus' let you wait for news on yer own?"** he shook his head, getting comfortable by leaning back slightly and crossing one foot over the other feet over **"Not like I got anythin' better to do anyway"** he smirked as Winston nodded gratefully and got back to work, fishing in his pocket for his cigarillo.

 **"** **No Smoking in here"** Winston said gruffly, Jesse pausing with the cigarillo balanced between his lips. He rolled it around briefly before exhaling and plucking it free

 **"** **Sure thing, boss"** he said, resigning to tucking it back in the back and turning his attention back to the screen.

O O O O

The next morning a large hand shook his awake roughly, the gunslinger having fallen asleep in the chair with his hat over his features. Waving off the wake-up call he clumsily clawed at his hat, tugging it off his face, his brown hair splaying out in all directions and his eyes wincing at the light that glared through the window, shadowing the form of Winston before him. The look of worry on the Gorilla's face however caused Jesse to sit up, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand to remove the small amount of drool he had felt at the corner of his lips.

 **"** **I need you to get your gear together as soon as possible please, come see me when you're done"** Winston spoke gruffly before turning away and heading towards the main console, tapping furiously at the keys again, the schematic of the Chronal accelerator on the screen confirming the completion of the diagnostic scan. Judging by the amount of red flashing parts in the image, Jesse concluded very quickly that Lena's Chronal Accelerator wouldn't be stable enough for a trip to Gibraltar.

 **"** **S'pose I'd best pack for rain then?"** Jesse asked, pushing himself to his feet as Winston nodded. **"Been a while since I've been to London…"**


	5. Realigning with Acquaintances

**"Y'know I expected a closer drop off point when ya took the liberty of arrangin' my transport"** McCree lifted his gaze from the ground, scowling at the wide-open fields surrounding him the luscious greenery coated in a thick layer of snow. His back pressed up against the trunk of a large tree a shiver shook through his core as he fished in his pocket for one of his cigarillos. The butt of it safely between his teeth as he received a response on his comms device.

 **"We are still operating under discretion, it was the only place suitable for a drop off without drawing unwanted attention"**

Jesse huffed, shaking his head and exhaling smoke through his nose before plucking his cigarillo from his lips and tapping ash off the end.

 **"I understand that, but Scotland? Next time big fella, give a bit of a warnin'. I'm freezin' my ass off here, didn't really pack with the highlands in mind"**

 **"My apologies, are you able to continue?"**

Without needing to see the primate himself, Jesse knew the large gorilla would have pushed his glasses back into position at the end of that sentence, his feet poised over the keys of his computer in Gibraltar, more than ready to divert the drop ship and send it back for him. The gunslinger smirked, flicking the cigarillo to the floor and crushing it into the snow beneath his boot. Tipping his hat back slightly he shuddered as snow slipped off the back, some slipping down his back before he cuffed at his nose with a gentle sniffle, unaware of the red hue spreading across his cheeks and nose as the cold bit at him.

 **"Well I'm here now, no point wastin' the fuel. Besides, a bit o' cold ain't guna stop me. I'll let ya know when I make it to London. McCree out"** his hand dropped from his earpiece, brown orbs taking in the scenery once more before he scooped up his duffel bag from the floor and slung it back over his shoulder. "Best get a move on" he muttered to himself, boots sinking into the crisp snow as he strode across the field, tugging his serape tighter around his form. Change of clothes was now going to be the top of his priority list.

O O O O

A day later saw McCree on the streets of London, the gunslinger having sought shelter late that afternoon in a local pub. His duffel bag dumped onto the chair beside him the gunslinger absentmindedly swirled the glass of scotch in his hand, watching the amber liquid circle the glass. The monotonous drabble of the fellow revellers in the pub was nothing but background noise to the man as he slowly set his glass down with his left hand and plucked his comms device into view with his right, tapping at it gently in a similar way to how one would scroll through a smart phone. Winston had sent across Lena's address 30 minutes ago but Athena had inconveniently decided to re-calibrate her settings and archive the files on the comms device, preventing the gunslinger from accessing a number of features, including the map.

With a sigh he plucked his drink off the table again, robotic fingers clinking against the glass melodically. Setting the comms device down on the table he brought the glass to his lips, sipping gently at the strong amber liquid, kissing at his teeth as the burning sensation surged down his throat and warmed his core. About take another swing a jolt flared through the robotic limb, jerking his hand involuntarily to the left and sloshing the remainder of the beverage over the table and floor before the glass shattered loudly against the dirty wooden floor.

 **"Shoot!"**

Jesse grasped at his robotic forearm, yanking it close to his chest and grimacing as it bucked and twitched slightly in his grip, sending spikes of pain up into his shoulder. Feeling eyes on him he lifted his gaze flashing an apologetic grin at the barmaid who had been clearing a table nearby. The woman shifted her weight to her left side with a sigh before tossing him the rag tucked into the front of her apron, turning on her heels and disappearing behind the bar without even a look to see if the gunslinger had caught the cloth.

The clang of the metal standing dustpan hitting the floor beside him startled the cowboy as he tried to absorb the scotch from the floor with the rag in his hand. Sitting up he awkwardly readjusted his hat with the metal limb and let a smile tug at the corner of his lip. **"Thank ya kindly"** the female rolled her eyes at his southern drawl and began sweeping up the shards of glass, McCree taking the chance to push himself to his feet and wipe over the table awkwardly offering the barmaid the sopping wet cloth when he'd finished.

 **"You get a kick out of throwing drink around?"** she asked, snatching the cloth back and throwing it into the standing dustpan, letting the metal lid close with a clang.

 **"Sorry about that darlin', technical difficulties"** he rotated his left arm gently, watching her gaze move to the metal limb, hardened expression softening slightly in mild understanding.

 **"Well, don't make a habit of it"** she remarked, folding her arms and allowing an awkward silence to fall between the pair, the rabble of the other pub patrons having already filled he room once more.

 **"Scotch was it?"**

Jesse blinked and turned his gaze away from the bizarre array of trinkets that adorned the back wall of the bar, brows knitting together in a confused furrow.

 **"Your drink, scotch was it?** " she reiterated her question, gently adjusting the position of the standing dustpan without meeting his gaze, the gunslinger nodding slowly. The barmaid turned away, heading back to the bar and unceremoniously dumping the standing dustpan in the corner before she set about grabbing another glass and filling it with the amber liquid.

 _"Re-calibration complete!"_ the melodic chime that followed Athena's voice alerted the cowboy to his comms device on the table, his hand swift to swipe it off the somewhat sticky surface and tap through to bring up the directions he needed. As his waypoint appeared on the screen, gently snaking its way through computer generated street renders the barmaid approached again, glass of scotch in hand and a softer expression on her face.

 **"On the house"**

Slotting his comms device in his pocket Jesse took the glass with his right hand this time, flashing a gracious smile at the woman before knocking back the drink with ease, clearing his throat to ease the burning sensation the alcohol left behind before nodding once in gratitude with a southern drawl of **"Thank you kindly"**

The barmaid watched as the southerner set the glass down and reached across the table for his jacket and coat, folding her arms and shifting her weight to one side. **"You're not here for pleasure, are you?"** she asked.

Jesse chuckled, donning the brown leather bomber jacket he had picked up in Scotland and zipping it halfway before slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder and turning to face the woman, running his metal hand through his unruly brown locks. **"No ma'am"** he plucked his hat from the back of his hair and slapped it back on his head, noting her curious expression. Adjusting the duffel bag once more he gently side stepped her "Thanks again fer the drink" a casual two-fingered salute saw the cowboy stroll confidently out of the bar, wincing immediately as the rain pelted his form and threatened to chill his body to the bone if he hung around too long.

Plucking his comms device back into view he sheltered it close to his form, watching as the route highlighted for him before he popped an earpiece in so Athena could provide him verbal directions. With the device safely back in his pocket the gunslinger had to react quickly to stop his hat being whipped off his head by the wind that tore through the street. **"Well now that aint guna fly"** he muttered, yanking his hat from his head and unceremoniously thrusting it into his duffel bag, the rain quick to flatten his wayward hat hair. With a rough scowl etched on his features Jesse popped the collar of his bomber jacket and thrust his hands deep into his jacket pockets, hunching his shoulders slightly and taking off at a brisk pace, trying to ignore the rain lashing at his form. 15 minutes' walk away according to Athena, he would make it in 10.

O O O O

A shiver took a brief hold as Jesse trudged down the pristine hallway towards the apartment number Athena had located. Droplets of water ran down his face, dripping off his nose , causing him to drag his flesh hand over his face to wipe It away before ruffling his hair and sending a spray of rain water into the air. He never was a fan of British weather, and the cold wind and rain that had greeted him this time around only cemented his dislike, but nonetheless he was now stood outside Lena's apartment, albeit looking a little rough for wear. **"Ye sure this is the place?"** he asked, gently pressing his fingers to his earpiece.

 _"Affirmative, Agent Oxton has no other places of residence listed in her file"_

Jesse nodded once, plucking the earpiece out and casting his gaze over the wooden door before him.

His time in Overwatch had never led him to see or even query where those he worked with resided outside of the bases. For him Overwatch, or more specifically Blackwatch was home. He didn't have an escape and even after leaving Blackwatch he never sat in a place too long. Roaming around like a lost dog, never settling and never obtaining much in the way of creature comforts.

Lena's apartment building was quite a world away from where McCree had spent most of his days. The building appeared recently refurbished, the smell of new carpet sticking in the air and the hallways clearly had seen a fresh lick of paint in recent weeks. The door before him was thick wood and had also been recently repainted, the numbers were polished brass and it took a moment before McCree realised he was analysing the strength of the door. An old habit, one used for infiltration. This time however he didn't need to break in, the door didn't need busting down, the lock didn't need to be picked. His way forward was much, much simpler.

A gentle readjustment of his duffel bag accompanied by a slow inhale saw the gunslinger raise his flesh hand and wrap his knuckles three times against the door. Immediately he could hear shuffled footsteps from the other side, Jesse licking at his lips almost nervously and taking a cautious half step back. He hadn't seen Lena since he left, and part of him wondered how the Brit would react, especially after the full reveal of Blackwatch and their unethical practices. Straightening his posture slightly as he heard the chain removed from the door, he prepared himself, watching the door open, his face falling into a look of slight confusion as a mess of ginger hair and a freckled face met him instead of the spikey haired Brit he had been expecting.

 **"Can I, help you?"** the young woman was positioned between the door and the frame, blocking his view and clearly maintaining a grip on the door as a precaution, her body weight shifting to favour one side as she slowly raised an eyebrow at the rugged and rather damp male stood at the door.

Jesse blinked, snapping himself back into the moment and flashed a charming smile. **"I'm ah- I'm lookin' fer Lena, she about?"** he noted the door close slightly at the mention of the woman's name, a defensive measure that intrigued him and raised his own defences slightly.

 **"Why? Who wants to know?"**

The implied hostility drew a gentle frown to his features, the gunslinger scratching at the side of his jaw gently before providing his response.

 **"I'm just here to help. I'm an old friend o'hers. From the Overwatch days"** a smile punctuated his sentence as he shifted his weight to his left foot.

The mention of Overwatch seemed to rattle the red-haired woman who responded by taking a step back and moving to slam the door shut. Jesse moved quickly, jamming his metal hand against the wooden door to stop it and grunting as he also wedged his foot in the way.

 **"If you don't leave I'll call the police!"** the woman yelled, forcing her body weight against the door.

Jesse held firm, praying his metal limb would do as he asked **"I ain't here to cause no trouble. I'm jus' here to help"**

 **"Like hell you are!"** the woman kicked out at the gunslinger's leg, trying to get him to back out of the door.

Jesse winced painfully **"Ya...Winston sent me to help her-"** the door suddenly was allowed to swing free, Jesse loosing his balance and falling on his front in the hallway with a heavy thump, the wind driving free of his body as his duffel bag helped drag his body to the floor faster.

 **"Winston sent you?"** the woman was stood staring down at him, watching the bedraggled male slowly push himself onto all fours.

 **"Yeah, he sent me to do some repairs on her chronal"** having gotten onto all fours he allowed himself to sit backwards so he was knelt on the floor, hands resting on his lap as he caught his breath, well aware of the heel of his boots prodding him in the rear end. The gentle hand that entered his field of view caused the cowboy to lift his gaze curiously.

 **"Well, if Winston sent you, that's alright then"** she smiled and kept her hand outstretched, offering to haul the cowboy to his feet **"I'm sorry for being so-"** she faltered for the word, flicking her hair from her face **"-defensive"**

Jesse grabbed a firm hold of the woman's hand with his flesh one just to be polite, hauling himself to his feet without her input. Readjusting his duffel bag he smiled at her gently **"S'alright, you needn't apologise. Name's McCree by the way, Jesse McCree"** he moved to tip his hat, remembering it was squashed within his bag and played off the motion by running his hand through his wet hair instead and nodding once.

 **"Emily, did you want me to take that?"** she gestured to Jesse's bag and coat, the cowboy glancing to his bag before shaking his head.

 **"I'll keep this with me if ya don't mind, however-"** he shrugged the bag off his shoulder, allowing it to thump gently to the floor before he wrestled out of his wet bomber jacket **"-could I put this somewhere to dry"** Emily taking the coat from him answered his question.

 **"Go through and a take a seat in the lounge. I'll stick the kettle on"**

O O O O

Jesse followed the direction he was pointed in, adjusting his shirt gently and strolling into the lounge, taking a moment to admire the simplistic décor. The teal coloured walls, off white two-seater and armchair positioned either side of a black coffee table. Setting his bag down by the sofa he cast a glance out towards the balcony before spotting a bunch of polaroid photos scattered over the back wall by the single seater and letting his boots trudge towards them, unusually silent against the dark wooden floor.

Holidays, days out or just Christmases spent at home. The polaroids told McCree a lot about Lena and Emily, but hidden amongst these were a few other gems. Photos of a distant past, images of a younger Angela, a Winston just out of training half crushed in a hug by an over excited Lena. Some sneaky snaps of Reyes and Morrison drew a gentle frown to Jesse's face before he spotted one of himself and smiled with an exhale of amusement. Lena had captured him hiding away, propped up against some cargo boxes in the hangers with his hat tilted low over his face. His Blackwatch uniform was dusty, torn in places, dirt smudges on his arms and he imagined on his face. Probably fresh back from a mission, and yet here was Lena peering into the photo she was taking, pulling a cheeky wink.

A few over from that was another group photo, a younger version of himself sat beside Angela, his arm around her shoulders tugging her gently against him so they would both be in Lena's frame. The Brit had convinced them to eat their lunch out on the green somewhere to make the most of the summer heat. All three of their faces beaming up at the camera unaware of Genji's hand reaching into frame to steal his beloved hat.

Brown hues closed gently at the memory. He had chased the cyborg around for a solid 10 minutes to get his hat back, watching it effortlessly frisbeed away from his grasp and to the Brit back and forth, the pair teasing him until he collapsed on the grass in a mixture of exhaustion and laugher. Angela had peered over to express concern before promptly pouring cold water over him with a light-hearted giggle and soon anyone who so much as looked in their direction were dragged into their impromptu water fight.

 **"I wasn't sure if you took sugar so I just brought a cup full"**

Emily's voice startled the cowboy from his thoughts, the male whirling around and smiling as she watched the redhead enter the room and set the two cups of tea and cup of sugar on the coffee table. Crossing back to the centre of the room he piled two heaped tea spoons of sugar into his tea, stirring it sloppily before holding the cup in his hands and thanking her, casting his hues around the room briefly. **"So where-"**

 **"Oh, Lena's asleep at the moment."** Emily set her own cup down, sitting on the edge of the sofa and resting her hands on her knee. **"Since the whole, Mondatta incident, she hasn't really-"** she trailed off, drawing a furrowed look from Jesse that silently urged her to continue. **"She hasn't been herself. I know it's only been a few days, but she is blaming herself and nothing I say will convince her."** Green hues lifted from her lap to meet Jesse's brown orbs "I figured it would be best to let her rest, her sleep pattern hasn't really settled since it happened"

Jesse nodded in understanding, suddenly aware that he was still standing and the tea in his grip was beginning to burn his flesh hand. Wincing gently, the china cup was set down on the table before he scratched the back of his head **"Thank you, by the way, for lettin' me out of the rain and not calling the cops"** his robotic hand moved to the front pocket of his jeans gently, weight shifting to his left foot as he exhaled softly and ran his flesh hand back through his slowly drying hair.

 **"Don't mention it, I should still be apologising for acting so hostile and- Oh!"** she sat upright, suddenly seeming to recall something of importance **"Honestly where's my head at! I should get you a towel!"** Emily jumped to her feet and was darting from the room before Jesse could deter her, the redhead stopping by the door and pointing towards the corner of the room. **"The Chronal is over there if you wanted to make a start"** with that the female vanished from view, leaving McCree alone once more.

O O O O

Sat cross legged on the floor the cowboy had his duffel bag open at his side, the gentle blue glow from the Chronal Accelerator shadowing some of his features as he thoughtfully tapped the end of a wire cutter against his knee. Athena was now hooked up to the device running all the needed diagnostics that could not be done remotely and Jesse was just waiting to make a few necessary repairs to stabilise it.

 _"To segregate and stabilise the disassociation module please proceed with detaching the core power module from the main frame"_

Jesse scowled as Athena repeated the instruction for the second time in the past two minutes. Before him was a terrifying mess of various cables, power banks and circuit boards that made up the device keeping Lena fixed to the present. The slightest mistake could be disastrous and while Jesse had received a run down and even a practice run with Winston at his side, the real deal was much more nerve wracking. With the device connected to his docking station via a cable Jesse could, conceivably disconnect the module he needed, repair and replace some of the more basic broken parts and piece the device back together without a problem.

 _"To segregate and stabilise the disassociation module please proceed with detaching the core power module from the main frame"_

Teeth slowly ground together as Jesse tightened his jaw, feeling a bead of sweat roll down the side of his face. He had diffused bombs in the past, but this felt so much worse. Maybe it was the years he was out of practice? Moving the wire cutter to line up with the one connecting the core power module to the main frame, he repositioned his left hand to gently see about moving the more sensitive wires out of his way. Strands of brown hair gently fell over his face, having dried off better when Emily handed him a towel 15 minutes ago.

 **"Ok…just like before"** Jesse murmured the words of encouragement to himself and was about to cut the wire when a jolt shot through his left arm, and the limb jerked involuntarily. Abandoning the attempt, he let everything release in fear of doing more damage and huffed furiously at himself, gripping the top of his left arm with his right hand and mentally cussing the blasted thing.

 **"Emily! Have you seen my shoes? I swear I left them by the front…door"**

Jesse whirled around in his seated position, staring at the Brit who had entered the room. Both remained silent, Lena blinking a few times almost in disbelief which allowed Jesse to slowly push himself to his feet and shoot her a gentle half smile.

 **"McCree?"** Lena had pulled her right arm close to her chest, her small hand balled into a fist by her heart and an unreadable expression forming across her features.

 **"Hey there rookie"** Jesse nodded at her gently, testing the water with an old nickname **"It's been a while"**

 **"I'll say."** she suddenly folded her arms and scowled at him **"It's been over 5 years"** a shake of her head accompanied her disappointed tone "what you doing here?" the stern tone actually caught McCree off guard slightly, causing him to awkwardly thumb over his shoulder towards the partially dismantled Chronal accelerator.

 **"Winston sent me t'fix yer Chronal. So that's what I-"**

 **"-Winston never mentioned you answered the recall"**

Jesse paused, whetting his lips and feeling her harsh gaze, hands plunging into his pockets. He was known for his quick responses but this time he had nothing, why hadn't the primate mentioned he responded to the recall?

 **"You left! Not a word, no note, not even a postcard. You abandoned everyone and everything for 5 years! So now what? Why are you here?"** her tone was accusatory, Jesse surprised that Lena of all people was holding a grudge for his desertion. She had a point, what was his reason for coming back after 5 years?

 **"I-"** he faltered, unable to look her in the eye and instead staring down at his feet. **"I'm sorry fer what I did, for abandoning everyone. I just-"** he didn't know. He couldn't give her a reason.

A body collided with his, nearly knocking him off balance. Adrenaline coursed through his body before he realised he wasn't under attack but instead the Brit had crossed the room quickly, and silently and now had her arms tightly wrapped around his torso, her face buried in his chest. **"You came back, that's all that matters"** her voice was muffled, but he could hear the shake in her tone, feel the shudder of her body as emotions got the better of her. Smiling gently Jesse wrapped his arms tightly around her smaller frame in return.

 **"I should never have left y'all behind. I'm sorry"** Jesse mumbled, the pair standing in a silent embrace for a few moments before Emily stepped into the room with shopping bags and paused to take in the scene with a smile.

 **"I'll make us some tea"** she announced happily before disappearing to the kitchen as the old colleagues broke apart their hug, Jesse smiling down at the Brit before thumbing at the Chronal.

 **"Couldn't lend me a hand could ya? I'm having a few troubles with mine"** he jostled his left arm at her curious frown to explain his point and soon the pair were sat either side, working together on the repairs like peas in a pod.

O O O O

With the Chronal sat back in one piece and Athena running her further diagnostics the trio were finally able to sit down with yet another cup of tea. Jesse had taken the armchair, while Lena and Emily curled up on the sofa, both Brits at ease to show their affections in front of the cowboy.

 **"You know, I only ever saw photos of you from Lena with a hat on. That's probably why I didn't recognise you at the door!"** Emily chuckled at her own words and pulled her legs up onto the sofa, sipping at her tea, green hues shining brightly at their house guest.

 **"Em has a point, where is your hat? Don't tell me you've lost it!"** Lena asked, her energy and bubbly personality exactly as Jesse recalled it being all those years ago as he shook his head.

 **"It's in my bag, couldn't risk it blowing away in the wind with yer dam weather. Never go anywhere without it"** he winced as his arm bucked against his will once more, sending a shock of pain through the nerve endings and drawing concerned looks from both women.

 **"How'd you break it?"** Lena asked curiously, her gaze casting over the metallic limb. It had a number of chips and scratches but nothing she could say would be the cause for its erratic behaviour.

 **"This? It's not broken really"** he lifted the limb, rotating it gently and admiring the skull on the back with a fond look etched on his rugged features. **"Took a bullet to the shoulder a few weeks back, ain't been right ever since. Winston had a crack at it, but ima' need Angie to take a look at the nerves."** He let the metallic limb rest on the arm of the chair, tapping his fingers gently against the fabric.

 **"So, what's the base like?"** Lena and Jesse looked to Emily with a curious expression, the redhead suddenly looking apprehensive and averting her gaze, twisting her hair round her finger with her free hand **"The Overwatch base I mean….now Winston has recalled people. What's it like?"**

Jesse felt Lena cast her gaze to him, consequently passing the question over as a result. Thinking about it for a moment he got himself comfortable before answering **"Well, it aint no hotel at the moment. Guess a place that size is even too large for a big fella like Winston. It's run down in places, dam right inaccessible in others but it's pretty much how I remember it. Just a little less…lived in"** watching for a reaction the gunslinger chose to continue explaining **"At the moment it's jus' Winston, me and a few newbies."**

 **"Hana and Lucio"** Lena interrupted, drawing a nod from Emily.

 **"I see Winston mentioned them to ya"** Jesse shook his head, dispelling his negative tone at not being mentioned by the primate before continuing **"They're good kids. Hana's quiet, likes her video games but she knows her Mecha inside out. Lucio? Well he speaks for himself, when he's not running you down in the hall with those rollerblades of his"** taking a slow breath he found himself captivated by a yawn and rubbed at his jaw before resuming speaking **"They were all worried about ya when we saw what happened on the news-"** the sudden shift in Lena's expression stopped Jesse in his tracks.

The Brit's vibrant expression evaporated and she averted her gaze, gently pulling her own legs up onto the sofa as well. Emily stiffened before looking to her partner, back to Jesse then to the empty tea cups on the table. Another glance to Jesse and she made an excuse about making another drink to leave the pair alone for a moment, the gunslinger waiting until he heard the tap running before sitting forwards in his chair to make eye contact with Lena.

 **"Lena"** he rested his arms on his legs, peering around to make eye contact and sighing when he succeeded only for her to glance away and mutter about helping Emily, moving to get to her feet. **"Hold up a sec"** Jesse reached out a hand, half out of his own chair and waited to see what would transpire. Fortunately, Lena sat back down, her hands in her lap and her head down which allowed Jesse to ease back into his own chair.

 **"What happened at Kings Row, it weren't your fault. I don't care if you think I'm talkin' a load of horse shit. Winston and I looked over that footage numerous times, it was unavoidable and you can't-"**

 **"-So, have I!"** Lena spat the words angrily, as she avoided lifting her head **"If I didn't recall, the shot wouldn't have connected and Mondatta would still be alive!"** a gentle sniffle accompanied a few lone tears that escaped her eyes and dripped onto her trousers, causing dark splodges to form. Her hands balled into fists, eyes squeezing shut to stop more tears "If I didn't recall, things would be different" the shake in her voice, the upset that was forming a lump in her throat didn't go unnoticed by McCree who let his brows furrow in concern and a silence fall between them.

 **"Yer right."** He spoke up eventually **"If you didn't recall the shot would have collided with your Chronal instead and Mondatta would still be alive to preach his message of peace to the people of the world"** he clasped his own hands together, interlocking his fingers and leaning his arms on his legs, hunched forwards in the chair as he tapped his foot thoughtfully. **"O'course you'd also be dead if you didn't recall. And I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure there's a few folk that would be upset with that outcome. Myself included"**

Sniffles met his words, Lena choosing not to bite back with her response. Placing his hands on his thighs the cowboy pushed himself to his feet and stepped around the table to set himself down beside the Brit.

 **"Now I aint guna be able to tell ya everythin' will be peaches and cream. I aint Morrison and I sure as all hell aint Reyes so whether you listen to my rabble is your call."** He scratched at his jaw before continuing **"What we do, what we did. We're not professionals, we're guna make mistakes and hell if you say t'me you've gone this far without makin' any, then ima call you out on that bullshit straight away"** he shot her a gentle smile, unsure if she could even see it with her head down **"Sometimes shit jus' happens, and despite the best effort in the world there aint nothin' you can do to stop it."**

Lena lifted her gaze with a sniffle, teary eyes looking at the cowboy as he spoke while facing forwards.

 **"All ya can do is keep on keepin' on. Roll with the punches, and deal with the consequences. Some things are set in stone, and all the will in the world won't change a goddam thing. What I do know though, is if you keep sittin here and wallowin' in yer past mistakes, reflectin' on the past and what could'ave been? Then you've already lost and there ain't no point to any of it"** Jesse glanced to his side, Lena staring at him with tear filled eyes, biting on her lip to stop it quivering.

 **"Like I said, I aint Gabe or Jack"** he looked away and waved his hand as if to dismiss his words and moved to stand when Lena grabbed his arm.

 **"No, you're not them. But…I understand. Thank you, Jesse"** she smiled, releasing her grip as Jesse sat back down beside her. A few moments of silence passed between them before Lena chuckled to herself, gently wiping the last of her tears away with her hand.

 **"What's got you tickled?"** Jesse asked, shooting her a suspicious look.

 **"Nothing really"** she said with a smile, looking at him thoughtfully **"Just imagining you with Jacks Blonde hair…"**

Jesse stared back at her in disbelief.

 **"Maybe Gabe's beard…although you seem to already be adopting that look-"** she reached for his facial hair and laughed loudly when Jesse shot her a horrified look only to wince when he jabbed his elbow in her ribs and folded his arms with a frown.

 **"Jus' so ya know, I ain't lettin' that comment slide. When we get back to Gibraltar, ye best watch yerself"** he said with a wink as Emily entered the room again.

 **"So when are you planning to leave?"** the redhead asked, apparently keen to spend as much time with her girlfriend as she could get before she would leave.

Jesse gave it some thought and shrugged **"I mean so long as the repairs hold out on the Chronal, why not a week? I never did get to see much of London in the old days"**

 **"Maybe, we could show you around"** Emily suggested, with a smile at Lena who nodded enthusiastically.

 **"Yeah Rookie, it's about time you experienced London properly"** Lena teased, jabbing McCree in the side with a laugh, the gunslinger nodding in agreement.

O O O O

As the evening passed and McCree bid the women farewell to check into his hotel a few streets away the gunslinger found himself unable to wipe the fond smile from his lips. Even as he settled down to sleep, his mind wandered to a single afterthought and now a single regret.

Why had he left Overwatch all those years ago?


	6. Farewells and Skeletons

_Author notes: Long overdue I know but here ya go folks! Hopefully you enjoy and should you wish to keep up to date with my ramblings, see updates on where I'm at with my fanfics or even just say Hi please don't feel afraid to drop me a message on here or hunt me down on my Tumblr! [ ]_

* * *

The week in London passed fairly quickly for the gunslinger as the two British women proceeded to drag him all around the capital, eager to show him the various amenities on offer. Many evenings landed the trio in a local pub, or just reminiscing on old times back at Lena and Emily's apartment, but as the days passed the temporary repairs to the chronal that McCree had finished began to grow thin and it became abundantly clear that returning to Gibraltar was top priority.

Jesse was stood on the airstrip smoking a cigarillo while Lena and Emily began their customary goodbyes. Weight heavily shifted to his left foot the cowboy cast his gaze towards the small plane they would soon be boarding, grateful that the wind and rain he had arrived to had since passed through the capital to wreak havoc as it allowed him to return his hat back on his head where it belonged.

 **"You'll stay in touch, right?"**

 **"Luv' I'll call you every day if I can"**

 **"Promise?"**

 **"Yes! I promise!"**

Deep brown hues cast down to his feet, the cowboy mindlessly scuffing his foot at a loose stone with his boot and watching it skitter across the asphalt out of sight.

 **"Jesse?"**

The call of his name wasn't the first judging by the questioning tone that had accompanied it. Jerking his head up Jesse cracked a smile at the redhead, plucking his cigarillo from his lips and gently flicking ash off the end. **"Sorry darlin' run that by me again?"** Lena had apparently dashed off to make some last-minute checks on the plane they would be taking and Emily had closed the gap between them without him noticing.

Biting down hard on her bottom lip the redhead cast an uneasy glance to the plane, twirling a strand of red hair around her finger nervously as a blush crept across her cheeks. **"I-"** she huffed and turned to meet the gunslingers gaze, vibrant green hues locking into his intensely **"I want to know- I need to know, that you'll look out for her. For Lena, I mean"** the breeze picked up a little, sending bright strands of hair dancing across her freckled features and ruffling the brim of the cowboy's hat.

The cigarillo was flicked to the floor and unceremoniously crushed beneath the mans boot, Jesse reaching up to adjust his hat briefly and rub the back of his neck before smirking at the woman gently to reassure her **"Lena is more than capable o' lookin' after herself** …" he could see the gentle twist of the redhead's features, the fear that he would be palming off her request in her forest hues. **"But-"** hope flashed in her eyes at the turn of phrase "I'll keep an eye on her for ya" the relief that spread across the woman's face could not be described as she dipped her head and smiled.

 **"Thank you, Jesse"**

 **"Don't mention it sweet-oof"**

The redhead had thrown her arms around him suddenly, catching him off guard and knocking him off balance enough to force him to take a balanced step backwards. His hands hovered awkwardly above her, a cross between his reaction to balance himself and meeting the embrace to reassure her.

 **"I mean it, thank you so much. For everything"**

Jesse froze, looking down at the woman with a furrowed brow. To his knowledge he hadn't done anything that warranted thanking but he found himself placing his hands on her back and patting softly. **"Yer welcome."** His words were a mumble, uncertain but a necessary response.

 **"I leave for five minutes and I miss out on hugs?!"** Lena's voice pierced the air, her jovial tone drawing both Jesse and Emily apart, staring at the woman before she laughed. **"Come here you two!"** a flash of blue indicated the gap being crossed before, once again, Jesse found a female colliding with his side, Lena scooping Emily into the group hug and squeezing tightly. Jesse rested his arms around the females in return, actually unsettled by the sudden increase in physical contact over the last few days.

His life since Blackwatch had been fairly isolated. Sure, he enjoyed the company of a woman every now and again, but more often than not it was a mutually beneficial setup which had the habit of ending abruptly when he needed to move on. Most folk he ran into were either on the end of his peacekeeper after he'd tracked them down, tried to beat him to a pulp or sought to cash in on the hefty bounty that remained over his head. Answering the recall had given him a routine, a purpose and a stable place to stay. Winston and he were more like acquaintances, and he didn't know Lucio and Hana well enough to engage in much more than the exchange of stories or friendly competition. The week with Lena and Emily had punched a hole through tinted view on life, his years of denial. Overwatch. Blackwatch. Those years were the last he could recall where he felt like he belonged somewhere. The last time where he didn't feel alone.

The hug lasted a few moments longer before Jesse cleared his throat loudly and the group broke apart, Lena flicking her hair from her face and looking to the time.

 **"We should really make a move"**

Emily nodded solemnly. The inevitable still hurt, it didn't matter how much you prepared the pain would never be lessened. Preparation only helped mask the raw reaction, which in Emily's case was a shaky smile that hid the tears in her eyes quite well.

Jesse scooped his duffel bag from the floor, slinging it over his shoulder and adjusting it before his lips parted to speak only to snap shut at the sight of Emily and Lena locking lips. Averting his gaze to give them some privacy the cowboy scratched the back of his neck, playing with the zip on his bag before checking he had his lighter in his pocket. When the two women finally broke apart, the mask Emily had tried so hard to wear shattered, tears escaping her hues, her hand moving to wipe at them, embarrassment creeping across her features, an apology spilling past her lips.

 **"No need t'apologise. P'haps you can come visit when the base is a bit more…accommodating?"** the smile that illuminated the tearful redhead's features told the cowboy that the female more than agreed with his suggestion, Lena shooting him a grateful smile before thumbing over her shoulder towards the plane. Boots crunched against the gravel as Jesse turned on his heels and made a beeline for the plane, allowing Lena and Emily some more time alone as he ascended the stairs to board the light aircraft.

A low impressed whistle escaped his lips as he entered the cabin of the plane, ducking to avoid hitting his head on the low ceiling he was surprised to see enough seating for 7. The large windows allowed light to fill the area, a clean beige carpet a neutral contrast to the padded, cream coloured chairs. The seating had been arranged in a such a way that two pairs of the seats faced each other with the other two residing towards the back of the cabin besides what McCree confirmed to be a Cargo door. Dumping his duffel bag onto one of the seats he plucked his hat from his head to stop it scratching against the roof of the cabin and slowly eased himself into the chair opposite, stretching out his long legs with a gentle exhale and letting his eyes rest.

O O O O

The sound of the cockpit door closing with a bang woke him with a grunt, the gunslinger licking at his lips surprised to find he had dozed off for a time before he heard the aircraft engine and its propellers loudly whirr to life. Dragging a hand over his face he eased himself up and out of his seat, ducking through to the cockpit and gently pulling the door open to ease inside, casting a wide glance over the various buttons, dials and displays that met him.

Lena was sat in the pilot's seat, casting an expert eye over everything that was necessary for take-off, reaching up autonomously to flick a generator switch above her head before her hues caught the gunslingers reflection in the glass of the windscreen. "The seatbelt sign is on you know" she jested before reaching up again and effortlessly flicking a second generator switch and turning her attention to a number of the displays before her. Jesse took the chance to fold his arms and lean heavily on the headrest of the co-pilots seat with a curious expression etched on his brow

 **"So ya remember how to fly one o'these right darlin'?"** he asked, the scowl Lena shot him more than answering his question and causing him to raise his hands up in a false surrender **"Jus' checkin'"** he said with a smile before Lena reached for the large over ear headphones, pausing with them open above her head and looking at him. **"Did you, need anything?"** she asked, her voice barely audible above the roar of the engine the Brit about to set the earphones down when the cowboy shook his head.

 **"Nah, jus' checkin' you were alright"** he moved to back away, pausing **"Need a co-pilot?"** he asked with a smile, Lena tilting her head at him.

 **"Have you ever flown before?"** she challenged.

 **"Nah, but I always fancied myself a quick learner"**

Lena giggled gently and turned her attention back to the dashboard **"Alright then, pull up a chair. Co-pilot"** she donned her earphones before taking care of a number of various switches and buttons as the gunslinger took his seat.

 **"Yes ma'am"** Jesse tugged the earphones on when instructed, adjusting his microphone and shooting a smirk across the cockpit towards the Brit who returned his smile before radioing into the control tower to ask for up to date weather information and clearance to taxi towards the runway.

The cowboy watched as Lena expertly controlled the plane towards the runway, pausing and doing last minute checks, her forehead crinkling in concentration as she adjusted her seating position and microphone.

 **"Stapleford Tower, this is Trace Zero Seven. Ready at Runway Zero-Three"**

 **"Trace Alpha Zero Seven, cleared for take-off runway Zero-Three"**

 **"Cleared for take-off runway Zero-Three, Trace Zero-Seven"**

Lena smirked, and pointed across the dash for Jesse to adjust the wing flaps before placing her hand on the throttle and easing it forward, the plane beginning to make traction and pick up speed before her hands moved to grab a hold of the yoke (wheel, knuckles whitening as her grip tightened, the end of the runway approaching far too quick for the cowboys liking before she yanked backwards and the nose of the plane lifted up, effortlessly gliding up into the air with plenty of space at the end of the runway.

Jesse didn't realise he had been gripping the seat of his chair so tight until Lena levelled out the plane and flicked the seatbelt switch with a giggle. **"I thought you were going to lose your lunch during take-off"** she adjusted her earphones gently and engaged auto-pilot, relaxing in her chair and smiling across at him.

Prying his fingers away from the chair Jesse cleared his throat nervously and rubbed at the back of his head **"Been a while since I've been at the front of a plane, usually I'm more of a backseat passenger"** he took the chance to breath out slowly, the nausea that had washed over becoming more prominent before he rubbed at his face. **"Ya' didn't need me at all fer take off, didya?"** he mumbled, the Brit shaking her head.

 **"Erm, not really. The plane can be flown solo"** she bit on her lip as the cowboy hung his head with a groan **"Sorry Jesse"** she reached across to rub at his back gently **"You really don't look too good, maybe you should go and lie down?"** she suggested, disliking the gentle sheen of sweat that had washed over the males grizzled features and paled his complexion. Not a single grumble of disagreement escaped the gunslinger as he removed his headphones and slowly stepped out of the cockpit to lie down in the cabin. It didn't do much as the Brit heard the gunslinger dash for the onboard bathroom nearly 15 minutes later to expel the contents of his stomach, but after poking her head out the door a little while after she found he had reclined one of the chairs back and was fast asleep with his hat tilted over his face, muscular arms resting on his chest, the metal limb twitching on occasions and causing her to glance down at the chronal accelerator that flickered gently at her in warning. Winston had assured her that on arrival he could fix it easily enough, and the repairs they had made themselves were holding just long enough for the gentle flicker to not be a concern. Leaving the cowboy to sleep, Lena returned to the cockpit for the remainder of the three-hour flight, surprised that even during landing she heard not a peep from the gunslinger.

O O O O

 **"McCree? McCree…"** the call of his voice wasn't enough to wake the snoozing gunslinger, but the jostle of his shoulder was. An unflattering grunt escaped the man as he clumsily reached up to push his hat up off his face, the cheery smile of Lena meeting his weary eyes. **"Hiya!"** she stepped back to let the cowboy wake up a little more, watching as he dragged a hand over his face and mumbled the question of where they were **. "We're at Gibraltar. Have been for…"** she paused, tapping a finger against her bottom lip thoughtfully for a moment **"Oh, about two hours or so?"**

Jesse sat to attention, wincing as his head spun at the quick movement, noticing Lena had her hands held out to stop him from jumping to his feet **"Why didn't ya wake me?"** he asked.

 **"Looked like you could use the rest, I don't remember ever seeing you suffering from airsickness before"**

Jesse waved off her words, pinching the bridge of his nose and inhaling slowly **"Don't take it personally, I ain't never been good in small aircrafts. Figured this one woulda' been big enough t' not affect me. Guess I was wrong on that one"**

Lena nodded slowly in understanding, recalling that she did only remember Jesse going on missions in the standard dropships. "Well, I would have let you sleep longer but Athena is sending the bots in to clean the plane and, well, you know how loud they are." Her hands clasped together in front of her, a soft smile on her features before she looked to the door **"Actually, I had better dash, Winston wants to do some more repairs on my chronal."** A two-fingered salute signified her departure before she turned on the balls of her feet and walked from the cabin, quite an unusual sight for someone accustomed to vanishing from sight with a flash of electric blue light and a giggle.

The cowboy took a few moments to get his bearings before pushing himself to his feet, immediately forgetting the height of the plane cabin and banging his head on the low ceiling, a loud cuss spurting from his lips in response. Muttering to himself for his own stupidity, he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and ducked his way out of the plane, replacing his hat firmly on his head the second he was free of the low ceiling and descending the steps to place feet back on solid ground. Patting down his pockets, brown orbs cast across the air hanger and quickly identified the bots Athena had sent to clean the plane scuttling from one of the side entrances. The robots appeared somewhat run down, rattling a lot more than usual and sporting a look only age and weathering could give them. The dam things were noisy back when he was part of Blackwatch, he dreaded to think how much noise years of poor maintenance would yield, and after finding his cigarillos and lighter in his pocket the gunslinger didn't stick around to find out.

O O O O

The breeze from the Ocean helped vastly with waking the cowboy up properly, leaning against the metal railing that lined one of the many outside spaces within the base Jesse took a deep inhale on his cigarillo and let the smoke travel skyward, spiralling up and out of sight, his nerves calming and his eyes resting to stop the harsh glare of the suns reflection on the ocean from returning the heavy tired eyelids he had only just gotten rid of. Tilting his hat forward a little more to block the rays, Jesse paused as he heard the door to the base open behind him, a gentle beatboxing abruptly ending as the individual set eyes on him.

 **"I ain't guna bite ya fer disturbin' me"** Jesse smirked as he balanced his cigarillo between his teeth, huffing the smoke through his nose before plucking it from his teeth and looking back at the supposed intruder.

 **"Hey Eastwood, sorry man, didn't realise you were out here."** Lucio smiled back, fiddling with something in his hands, the action drawing a curious frown to the cowboys face **"I just needed some time for a guilty pleasure…"** his hands revealed a pack of gum, the DJ plucking a strip out and popping it between his lips, noticing the puzzled frown on Jesse's **face "I can't get through a pack myself without Hana asking for 4 strips at a time or challenging me to blow the biggest bubble"** he sighed with a tired smile for a while "I can go elsewhere if you'd prefer to be alone"

 **"Well, you ain't botherin' me, so I've got no problem with ya stickin' around"** Jesse turned his gaze back towards the ocean, one leg gently crossed over the other as rested his arms on the railings properly and allowed is body weight to settle forward some more. The lack of noise that signified the DJ's arrival suddenly registered in his mind **"No skates?"**

Lucio glanced down to his feet as though he'd forgotten before laughing "Nah, Winston asked if he could look them over. Big guy was really interested in the Vishkar tech, so why not let him look at it" he smiled at the gunslinger, folding his arms and casting his gaze towards the horizon. **"I caught up with Lena in the corridor earlier, so, er how was London?"**

Jesse plucked what was left of his cigarillo from his lips, examining it thoughtfully before flicking it to the floor and crushing the embers with his boot, straightening up and slowly rubbing the base of his spine to stretch it out. **"You really care or are ya jus' makin' small talk?"** he tipped his hat slightly to readjust it, smirking back at the DJ before chuckling and turning to face him **"Cold and damp, never been a fan o' colder climates personally but the company was al…"** a crash from within the base followed by angry yelling in Korean drew the attention of both men. Without a word the pair turned and made their way towards the noise to investigate.

O O O O

Lucio took the lead as the two males made their way through the corridors towards the workshop. Rounding the corner, the pair spotted the young Korean gamer stood outside the closed door, angrily waving a wrench, her face turning a bright scarlet as rage filled her words.

 **"I need to do some maintenance on my Meka! You can't just lock me out without warning you-"** she spiralled into a vast array of Korean, huffing the words with a scowl etched on her young features. Neither Lucio or McCree spoke Korean but judging by the way Hana tightened her grip around the wrench the pair could safely assume the native dialect wasn't designed to be friendly.

 **"Now hold up, what's seems to be the problem here darlin'?"** Jesse tilted his hat back, stepping past Lucio as the young Korean turned her head to look at him.

 **"He won't let me inside the workshop!"**

About to question whom the young female was talking to the door to the workshop opened with a bang drawing everyone's gaze.

 **"Is it too much to ask for some peace and quiet. Some of us are tryin' work'!"** the thick Swedish accent echoed loudly as the small male lifted his gaze to the gathering outside the workshop door, thick eyebrows settling into a deep scowl before he waved a clawed hand at the young Korean girl **"I told you this is my workshop, I'll move yer Mech to the air hanger when I'm done cleanin' up the mess"** the man's gaze immediately shifted to McCree, the gunslinger disliking the hostile look that accompanied it. **"Huh, Winston never mentioned** _ **you**_ **answered the recall"** he folded his arms.

Jesse flashed the man a small smile, again unimpressed that the Ape had failed to mention to a former agent that he had responded to the recall **"Yeah, seems to be a common thing. Maybe I'll-"**

 **"-let's hope this time you've got yer priorities ironed out, eh lad?"**

Jesse paused, his own eyebrows furrowing at the words **"An' whats that s'posed to mean?"** muscular arms folded over his own chest as he scowled down at the male.

 **"Exactly what you think. Recall is for Overwatch agent's only laddie. Last I recall, you weren't one"**

 **"Hana and I were never Overwatch agents either. But we're still here…"** Lucio chimed up confidently, Hana nodding slowly in agreement. The attempt to defend the comments didn't go unnoticed by the gunslinger but Jesse could see the questioning glint in their eyes as they tried to work out what exactly he was, if not a former Overwatch agent.

 **"True. Difference bein' you two have more loyalty in yer big toe than this coward has in his whole body"**

Jesse huffed angrily at the slanderous comment **"Now hold on a second"** his southern drawl encapsulated his words more with his growing rage as he took a step forward, jabbing a finger towards the man **"I aint never betrayed anyone-"**

 **"-so, what would you call leaving without a word to anyone? Skulking off into the night like a criminal, and after all we did for you. Turning your back on everyone. You're saying that's not betrayal?"** the Swede smirked as Jesse fell silent **"Don't forget lad, Overwatch gave ye everythin'. Includin' that arm."** His clawed hand jabbed towards the robotic limb, Jesse tugging it away slightly in defence **"You should just be grateful Reyes had his hands too full with Blackwatch t'go lookin' for your sorry hide. You ask me, he should have taken it back off you"** the words were practically spat at him, carrying a weight the cowboy didn't think was possible from the short man.

Jesse found himself grinding his teeth furiously at the words, his lips eventually wrenching apart to bark back a response only for the door to slam shut in his face.

 **"Yer mech'll be in the air hanger by tomorrow. Now leave me to my work!"**

The silence that followed saw Jesse ball his hands into fists at his sides, feeling exactly as he did when joining Blackwatch all those years ago. Like a kid, trying on his dad's uniform, hopelessly flapping the sleeves about and realising he was just trying to become something he wasn't. A tap on the shoulder jolted the cowboy from his thoughts, bringing to light the dull ache spreading across his jaw from the pressure he'd put on his teeth and a dull ache forming behind his eyes as a migraine threatened to form.

 **"Hey Eastwood, you ok?"** Lucio withdrew his hand gently, rubbing at the top of his own arm where a black tattoo of a frog wrapped around his bicep, concerned etched on his face despite the small smile.

 **"Ye' I'm fine. Forgot what a sharp tongue ol' Torb has on him"** scratching the back of his neck Jesse forced a smile for the two youngsters **"I'll speak t' Winston, see if we can't get ya a proper workin' space for yer Mech"** brown orbs settled on the young Korean as he spoke before the gunslinger moved to head down the hallway only for the young girl to step in front of him folding her arms and frowning up at him **"S'cuse me darlin'"** Jesse reached out to jostle her aside, pausing when the young woman took a step back to prevent him touching her, lips parting to question him.

 **"Hana, leave it alone"** Lucio stepped forward to intercept the inevitable questioning, placing a hand on her shoulder and meeting her gaze sternly. **"It can wait"** his words were softly spoken and seemed to work as the young woman huffed and turned to let the cowboy pass.

As Jesse strode past the pair he caught sight of the young gamer waving the wrench in her hand angrily at Lucio, no doubt vowing to pursue questioning the cowboy at a later date. Fortunately, it would also allow McCree time to gather his own thoughts and calm down before the inevitable barrage of questions. The robotic limb at his side spasmed at the thought, driving a spike of pain through the top of his arm into his shoulder as the fingers locked into an awkward position for a second, relaxing when he feverishly rubbed at the site of the pain. The sooner Angie arrived to fix it the better, however he now had to go and speak to a certain ape.

O O O O

Entering Winston's watch tower as it was commonly known the gunslinger adjusted his hat and cast his gaze about the room, hoping for a sign of the large primate on the ground level. Instead all he found was a number of discarded peanut butter jars and a trash can that was half filled with empty banana skins beside a terminal that appeared to be running continued diagnostics on Tracer Chronal Accelerator. Dark hues shifted to the upper section, the glass that had been shattered when he arrived a few weeks ago now taped up with foggy, plastic sheeting which, somewhat, concealed the occupant in the upper room. The blinds had been pulled for the remaining sheets of glass to further block anyone looking in. Fortunately, the primate had an incredibly distinctive shadow despite the plastic sheeting which allowed Jesse to recognise that not only was Winston up there, but he was also talking with someone and therefore he would have to wait. Athena appeared to alert the primate of his arrival however, the large shadow moving towards the door and peering out over the balcony.

 **"I'll be with you in just a moment McCree"**

 **"No rush big fella"**

The primate grunted in thanks before disappearing back inside the room and closing the door behind him. Gently shifting his weight to his left foot, Jesse hooked his left thumb through his belt loop, his right hand resting gently at his side and rhythmically tapping the side of his thigh as he waited for the primate to finish speaking to his guest. Both Lena and Torbjörn had been surprised to find he was operating under the recall and it left the gunslinger with a concerned thought in his mind as to why the Primate would be keeping his presence a secret. Sure, the bounties above his head were less that convenient but they were only applicable in certain countries and he'd been able to avoid trouble for this long and he very much doubted one of the former agents would hand him in for the reward money, right?

 **"Hiya!"** Lena's perky voice jolted the cowboy from his thoughts, the Brit leaning on the railing above and smiling down at him **"We're all done in here, come on up luv"** she straightened up and waited as Jesse ascended the stairs and approached the door, gently opening it for him. What drew his attention however was the fact that Lena followed him into the room instead of departing on her own route.

 **"Ah Agent McCree, I needed to speak with you actually"** Winston tapped at his control panel briefly before turning to look at the two agents in his presence, pushing the small glasses back into position on his face.

 **"Is that so?"** Jesse folded his arms across his chest, shifting his weight once more to his left foot and tilting his head ever so slightly before gesturing for the primate to resume **"Go ahead, what I have t' say can wait"** it could also wait until Lena was out of the room and not hovering anxiously at his side.

 **"We have received some additional intelligence regarding Talon activity. Athena has been monitoring various communication channels and liaising with a number of informants to ascertain the likelihood of Talons next move."** He reached over and tapped a button on the keyboard gently, the large monitor lighting up to show the all too familiar wraith form that had attacked Winston many weeks ago stood by a large dropship, black coat billowing in the wind and tendrils of smoke appearing to waft from their very being.

 **"Hey it's old screamo, what's our ghost buddy been up to this time?"** Jesse smiled in amusement, quickly dropping the look when he saw Lena's smile fade very quickly at his side, his eyebrows drawing together in a deep-seated frown **"What did he do?"**

 **"While you were…"** Winston faltered for an appropriate work, rotating his large hand as though he expected to pluck the necessary descriptor from the air before finally settling on one **"…indisposed, in London with Agent Oxton, Talon launched an operation on the Helix Maximum Security Installation just outside of Luanda, Angola."** Another tap on the keyboard and another series of photos sprang onto the screen. Bland, concrete hallways fitted with high tech security systems were filled with the bodies of dead Helix operatives. Bodies lying at awkward angles, shot down as they tried to flee, pinned against walls and in dead ends and shot at point blank range, trails of crimson spraying up the wall or trailing down the hallways.

Jesse swallowed hard at the sight, stepping forwards and placing his robotic hand against the desk as he took a closer look at the images, gently whetting his lips and shaking his head **"Looks like a pretty sizeable Talon force raided the place…"** he looked to Winston who slowly shook his head with a solemn expression.

 **"Just one Talon agent entered the building. Undetected by the latest in high tech security systems and some of the best guards in the business"** the primate frowned and looked back to the lone image of the Reaper, Jesse following suit and shaking his head in disbelief.

 **"Yer fuckin' wit' me? There ain't no way one guy gets in an' outta a place like that easily"**

 **"Official reports deny any incident occurred but our informants have managed to share the details. Just one agent entered the facility, and it appeared they only had one goal in mind"**

" **An' that was?"** Jesse could see the nervous expression that was spreading across Lena's face to his right, her colourful complexion draining as though she were afraid of what was coming next. Lips parted to ask if the Brit was feeling alright before frantic tapping on the keyboard and the flicker of the screen changing drew Jesse's eyes back to the screen where the mugshot of a large, African male resided.

A large muscular frame was adorned with what Jesse assumed to be some form of white body paint. A long white stripe across the male's face and two more accented the side of the male chiselled facial features. The right arm also sported similar white paint, the occasional red accent on the skin appearing to be some form of technological enhancement that would no doubt accompany the very advanced prosthetic that replaced the male's right arm. At the thought, his own prosthetic jerked briefly at his side, a harsh reminder of its current failings and obvious appearance. The male before him clearly had money, the prosthetic looking realistic enough that a quick glance would easily fool the eyes, however there was a rage, a drive in the mans eyes that Jesse just couldn't shake. A familiarity there that was tugging at the back of his mind.

 **"He looks familiar, where 'ave I seen him before?"** Jesse straightened up and crossed his arms gently, the look that crossed Lena and Winston's face unsettling him greatly.

 **"Akande Ogundimu. More commonly known as Doomfist"**

Jesse let his eyes widen in realisation, recalling the battle he'd seen over a holo-video many years ago. A younger Genji, Winston and Tracer battling in the streets of Numbani. The so-called Doomfist Gauntlet had not been in the male's mug shot photo and if memory served it had been put on display in some glorified 'ode to Overwatch' museum ever since. Brown hues shifted to the Brit who was nervously adjusting her chronal accelerator, words failing to form as he recalled seeing the very same device ripped from her body and crushed to smithereens. Overwatch agents had been watching helplessly from the side-lines all around the world as the Brit jittered about sporadically before vanishing into time. Thankfully Winston had managed to get another functional chronal working within days but he couldn't begin to imagine the fear and panic that had coursed through the Brit until she was dragged back reality. The speed and reactions Doomfist had utilised to work out exactly where she would recall to had been, for lack of a better word, phenomenal and definitely made the man a force to be reckoned with.

 **"Aight so they've broken this Doomfist fella outta jail. What next?"** Jesse's eagerness to get moving with the next steps appeared to drive Winston into gear and snap the ape from his brief memory-based stupor, the primate clearing his throat loudly and tapping at something on the screen.

 **"We believe Talon are aiming to infiltrate an upcoming cybernetics event that is being held in three days at the University of Oasis in Iraq. There is a lot of new technology being demonstrated at the event which, should it fall into the wrong hands…"** he didn't need to finish his sentence, Jesse nodding before scratching at the scruff that lined his jaw.

 **"Aint' Oasis known fer all its fancy security tech? Surely they'd spot a Talon scheme some ways off?"**

Winston grunted in agreement **"Oasis is home to one of the most advanced predictive surveillance and crime modelling systems known to man. However, Helix Security also utilise a similar system and somehow Talon managed to enter their High security facility, with a dropship, completely undetected. I believe in this instance, our presence as an undercover surveillance team would be invaluable"** he moved to draw up a map **"As our most experienced Agents I would like both of you to lead this operation-"**

Jesse shook his head, the Primate still speaking until interrupted **"Hang on, let's jus' rewind a second. You want us, t'lead on this?"** he shook his right thumb between himself and Lena, trying to make sure he hadn't misheard the primate.

Winston nodded curtly **"Correct, both Lena and yourself have the most experience in the field and would be best placed to-"**

 **"What about ol' Torb?"** Jesse rested one hand on his hip and thumbed over his shoulder, the uneasy look that crossed Winston's face telling him more than enough **"Ye' didn't think I'd run into him yet didya?"** Winston shifted uncomfortably in his seat about to speak when Jesse cut him off **"Look, I ain't got no problems doin' as ya ask. But if yer plannin' on keepin' me outta the loop, then I'd like a bit of a warnin' so I'm not caught with my pants down out there"**

Winston sighed **"It was not intentional, I was fully prepared to tell you of Torbjörn's arrival once you had returned to base-"**

 **"-Like how ya neglected to tell him and Lena I answered the recall?"** he raised an eyebrow in a silent challenge.

Silence enveloped the room at his words, both Lena and Winston stiffening slightly and shooting awkward looks at each other which immediately raised Jesse's defences. Scowling at the pair he shook his head and adjusted his hat **"Why do I get the feelin' yer keepin s'min from me?"** he reached for his pocket, plucking his pack of cigarillos into view and popping one between his lips, fumbling for his lighter as he resumed speaking **"I suggest one o'ya start explain' to me the reason behind all o'this secrecy"** his flesh thumb brushed down roughly against the flint wheel of his flip lighter with a loud click, the flame erupting from within as he held it by the end of the cigarillo to light it, only pausing when the Primate held up a large hand and sighed in defeat. Jesse raised both eyebrows, pulling his lighter away and snapping the lid closed to extinguish the flame, thrusting the lighter back in his pocket and plucking the unlit cigarillo from his lips as he awaited an explanation.

 **"Talon has been looking to eliminate Overwatch agents over the last two or three years. A number of agents have fallen to assassination attempts or simply vanished. Others are safe because their true names, aliases or locations are simply unknown, which as I explained to you before, was why Reaper came here in the first place. He was attempting to extract the names and locations of remaining Overwatch agents"** he paused, turning to his screen and clicking through a vast number of file directories before arriving at one and opening a programme, the Overwatch logos quickly being replaced by the old Blackwatch insignia and drawing a curious frown to Jesse's face. **"Athena did a check a few months prior to the recall order for former Blackwatch agents while she was updating some databases and purging old data from her storage drives"** he clicked on a file location and awkwardly scratched under his chin **"Athena, please run a worldwide scan for Retired Blackwatch agents"**

Silence met the request for a moment.

 _Scan complete. Results show only one agent is eligible for Recall_

Jesse felt the pit of his stomach knot violently at the response. Surely there were more agents out there. Swallowing nervously, he decided to ask the question himself **"Athena, who's the agent ya found?"**

 _That would be you, Agent McCree. A reminder that you have yet to respond to the Overwatch recall beacon. Do you require any additional searches?_

 **"N-no…thank ya Athena"** Jesse answered autonomously, frozen in place, dread washing over him before he finally lifted his gaze from the floor to meet Winston's gaze **"Nobody?"** he asked **"There aint nobody left? Barrett? McKenney? Armitage?"** Winston shook his head slowly, Jesse reaching up to rub at his forehead before panic erupted through him **"Wait, what about Genj-"**

 **"Genji was inducted as an official Overwatch Agent following your departure so his records were transferred. Unfortunately, he left not to long afterwards so did not partake in many official Overwatch missions. He is safe, currently in Nepal I believe."**

A somewhat relieved exhale escaped Jesse's lips before he reached up with his flesh hand to rub at the back of his neck, stifling a grimace at the sweat that had formed there **"So, what happened t' all the other agents?"**

 **"They were…. executed, mostly. Athena managed to find one or two who simply disappeared, but a vast majority were killed. That is why we- I have been keeping your arrival a secret from agents until their arrival. It appears Talon have intel on Blackwatch that they are lacking for Overwatch, and until we find out how that is it was best to avoid unnecessary risks"**

 **"So ye' kept quiet t' keep me safe?"** Jesse shook his head again, dragging his and over his face gently **"While I appreciate the help partner, I would rather ya told me upfront though."** He gently rubbed at the end of his nose with a gentle sniffle as he thought **aloud "If Talon have Blackwatch information, well that'll explain the train team I met in Texas"** he could see Winston's mounting intrigue and took a moment to explain the train Hijacking he managed to stop a month before the recall **"Those Talon thugs were usin' the Blackwatch playbook, no doubt about it. Aint a soul alive in mercenary work that'd be stupid enough to fast-rope at half the speed of sound unless they're very, very good at what they do"**

 **"Any idea what they wanted from the train**?" Lena piped up, leaning casually against the desk with her arms crossed under her chronal, gently flicking hair from her eyes.

 **"I don't rightly know, some purple glowin' cube. Maybe some sorta power source? All I know is they were thinkin' o' sendin' backup and with all those civvies on the train I'd rather they just get what they were after. Didn't fancy seein' regular folk get hurt over a glorified battery"** he took the silence as an opportunity to pluck his hat from his head and briefly run his metal hand through his unruly hair to ease the heat that had been building up beneath his hat.

 **"So, Talon have a lot of information on Blackwatch tactics and former agents, they've broken Doomfist out of a high security prison and they've tried to extract Overwatch agent data to do exactly the same to us"** Lena huffed in annoyance, a glint of determination in her hues **"So big guy, what are we going to do to stop them?"** a smile graced her delicate features, Jesse also meeting her smile and gesturing for Winston to resume his explanation.

 **"You still wish to proceed with the mission?"**

 **"Aint no doubt"**

 **"Absolutely!"**

Jesse and Lena cast a glance at each other, nodding once before pulling over a chair each and taking a seat by the console so Winston could run through the plan, Athena kindly populating a hologram of the city of Oasis.

 **"Alright big guy, show us what ya got planned…"**


	7. Chapter 7

**"Again, my sincerest apologies madam. We pride ourselves on maintaining every aspect of the building to the highest standard, rest assured we shall be reimbursing some of the room cost and offering you and your…partner, an exclusive reservation at the revered elBuffi Restaurant for an evening of your choice"**

The hotel manager addressed Lena with a formal expression, casting a steely gaze over the females flushed, sweaty expression and yet very much aware of her more rugged companion sprawled out on the sofa nearby, fanning himself with the room service menu. In the background, a service Omnic worked on repairing the AC unit, gently replacing a required part before closing the hatch and flipping the switch. The sound of cold air gently flowing through the vents in the room drew all eyes towards the nearest one with a gentle smile, Lena exhaling in relief and wiping her brow.

 **"Thanks luv, it was becoming unbearable in here"**

 **"Again, my apologies. Should you require anything else, please, inform the front desk"** with the offer on the table both the hotel manager and Service Omnic left the room, the door closing with a soft click behind them, leaving Lena and Jesse alone in the room once more. The Brit paused for a moment before darting towards the AC control panel and maxing out the dials, desperate to cool down, glancing back over her shoulder as Jesse slowly sat up with an amused smile on his features.

 **"That's it, crank up the AC till it's spittin' snowballs"** he wiped at his own brow, fanning himself once more with the menu **"'bout time they fixed it, if it had gotten any hotter I'd have had to start takin' off stuff I really oughta keep on"** a chuckle escaped him as Lena crinkled her face in disgust at the idea.

 **"You even think about it, and I'm confiscating your room key. My room, my rules cowboy"** she winked at him, folding her arms and enjoying the chill that ran across her skin as the AC got to work.

 **"Not my fault we gotta share y'know, Winston booked the place"** Jesse pushed himself to his feet, reaching for his cigarillos on the side and casting his brown hues around the room **"That bein' said, can't imagine this place comes cheap. Fanciest place I've ever stayed in"**

The room was decorated with a regal aesthetic. The open plan living and kitchen area housed more than enough space for both Overwatch agents. Glass pane doors opened onto a spacious balcony that was neatly corralled by iron railings that had been curved into a series of mesmerising spiral patterns. The thick carpet that was spread throughout the entire hotel room held a soft golden hue, woven with faint, darker, zig zag pattern that perfectly complimented the slightly off-white walls and crisp, white furniture. A three-seater sofa with far too many pillows to be practical, resided in front of a wooden coffee table while a single white arm chair was offset towards the balcony door to allow a view point of the waterside.

The kitchen area housed a series of dark wood cupboards with beige, granite marble countertops, a state of the art cooker and an island counter with two mahogany barstools set underneath. The room did house a square, mahogany dining table with matching chairs, but it was currently being used for a remote command to Athena, the touch screen device resembling a laptop requiring additional space to project any holograms.

The bedroom was offset from the room, Jesse having handed off the double bed to Lena shortly after they had realised their sleeping arrangement predicament. The sofa had looked pretty comfortable and, in his experience, it never hurt to have someone as a first line of defence should their cover be rumbled, although he didn't voice his thought out loud in fear of rattling the Overwatch Agent unnecessarily. Some habits were hard to break, Blackwatch and Deadlock instincts were driven into him so deep it all felt like second nature. Undercover work and the threats that accompanied it were a walk in the park. He knew exactly how to handle it, although a part of him was sceptical if Lena, or any of the Overwatch 'blue birds' had ever had to toe the line of Undercover work prior to the fall.

Lena nodded in agreement, casting her eye over the chronal accelerator docking station neatly tucked away in the corner. **"At least they didn't question the chronal"** her arms folded gently, weight shifting to her right foot as Jesse waved off her concern.

 **"Not their job t'pry in their patron's business, trust me. Only people ogglin' ya will be those at the expo tomorrow. Speakin' o'which, reckon we should look at the disguises Winston packed for us?"** Jesse saw to slotting his unlit cigarillo back into the pack as Lena nodded and fetched the suitcase from the wardrobe in the bedroom, hauling it onto the island counter and unzipping the sides. Flipping the lid open she let her brow furrow in thought, the expression drawing a curious look from Jesse and prompting him to wander over **. "S'min wrong?"** he queried.

 **"It's not what I expected"** Lena explained, pulling a long dress into view that matched the typical style of the Oasis residents. A gentle sky blue gave way to soft silver trims, the gown itself, long enough to sit just above her ankles once put on, and the sleeves tight to the skin but opening up towards the wrists in a way that strongly resembled a Calla Lily. Setting the dress down she then removed some intricate looking pieces of technology that were designed to attached to her chronal accelerator harness. A solar panel or two, and a few decorated pieces of pipe had been constructed and bolstered together with an over complicated array of wirings and fake lights to hide the true nature of the Chronal device. **"Winston's message should explain what this is. Hopefully"** Lena set the device down carefully on top of the folded dress and plucked a black jacket from the suitcase, tossing it to the gunslinger.

Catching the jacket with ease, Jesse frowned at it curiously as he held it up. The fabric was light so as not to retain too much heat in the Oasis sun and emblazoned on the back in white letters was the word; "Security". Raising an eyebrow, the cowboy hooked the jacket over his arm, raising his gaze in time to catch the black baseball cap that Lena had frisbeed in his direction. **"Ain't the type of head wear I'm used t', but s'pose I'll manage** " with a smirk he tugged the hat on, the brim of the hat immediately shading his features slightly before he tossed the jacket over the back of the sofa in the living area and plucked his comms device from the side table to read the message Winston had told them to read on arrival.

Lena plucked her own device from her pocket, the pair scrolling through the message in near silence. The Brit finished reading first, leaning back against the kitchen counter and folding her arms, watching as the American slowly concluded reading the message himself before he lifted his gaze. **"Seems pretty straight forward, I'll run security and yer there as a guest in yer fancy getup"** Jesse folded his arms, perching his rear on the back of the sofa slightly.

 **"The Chronal is being used as a front for a fake environmental air purification device. Should be quite easy to bluff"** she frowned thoughtfully, averting her gaze back to the comms device.

 **"You ever done an undercover mission before darlin'?"** Jesse didn't need an answer, the look etched on the Brits face told him more than enough, prompting him to push himself back to a standing position **. "You'll get the hang of it, jus' try not t' draw too much attention to yerself. We're s'posed to be blending in, an' if you start askin' too many questions then folk'll become suspicious."**

Lena nodded, looking back to her disguise before exhaling and reaching into the suitcase, plucking a wig into view and gently running her fingers over it. The short black bob would certainly be a different look for the spiky haired brunette, but her face was too recognisable to risk her going undercover with any tell-tale signs on show.

Jesse took a step forward, planting his flesh hand on her shoulder to reassure her **"It'll be fine, if ya need me I'm on comms anyway. This hat is my all access pass, so if ya see anythin' suspicious jus' call it in"** he tugged the brim of the baseball hat with a smirk, nodding once when Lena nodded and chuckled in agreement, her confidence bolstered by his words.

 **"Alright then"** she straightened up with a smile **"What do you say we go look around the hotel? I believe I heard someone mention a bar on the roof of the hotel, which, judging by the time, should be fairly quiet by now"**

 **"Yer a woman after my own heart"** Jesse grinned, tugging the hat from his head and tossing it onto the sofa and gesturing for the Brit to lead the way **"After you"** his brown hues watching the Brit move towards the door before she paused and thoughtfully glanced to the Chronal Accelerator charging in the corner. Debating if she needed to take it.

 **"I wouldn't risk the range, even Winston said he weren't too sure how far it'd reach. We can't have ya' dissapearin' on us now, can we?"** Jesse crossed the room and plucked his cowboy hat from the coat hooks by the door, planting it firmly on his head " **You've got yer disguise for it now, why not take her out fer a spin?"** The gunslinger took a moment to examine his robotic limb as Lena set about hooking up her Chronal Harness to the fake contraption Winston had provided.

The years hadn't been kind to the metal limb, despite Jesse's best effort to preserve it. Chips along the forearm, marks on the paint and a bit of discolouration of the metal showed its age and story. Even one of the lights that showed the limb was powered was broken, the cracked casing nothing more than an aesthetic annoyance. The joints had held together well, and the gunslinger had never had any issues with the strength of his grip or the reaction of each robotic finger he now commanded. Until taking a bullet to the shoulder of course. As if on cue the limb spasmed at the thought, the fingers jerking awkwardly and sending a brief spike of pain from his elbow through to his shoulder. Sucking in a breath of pain through his teeth, he slowly massaged his shoulder with his flesh hand as the tightened muscles in his arm began to relax.

 **"That arm still giving you jip luv?"**

Jolted back from his thoughts, the gunslinger found the Brit stood in front of him with a concerned frown etched on her brow. The chronal harness was hooked up to its false cover and secured around her torso perfectly. Fortunately, the cover didn't add much to the device, meaning it wasn't too heavy or bulky for her to wear all day, but with the solar panels and the pipe pieces resembling some sort of ventilation, it was a pretty convincing cover story for a so called 'air purification device'.

 **"Nuthin' I ain't dealt with before." Jesse** let his hand drop from his shoulder, flashing the Brit a gentle smile to reassure her. The frown on her features failed to lift however causing the gunslinger to sigh at her " **Ange'll have me patched up the moment we get back to Gibraltar. Until then, it's just a mild inconvenience. Don't 'chu worry none"**

 **"If you're sure…"**

 **"As sure as the sky is blue. Now, we goin' for this drink or we emptyin' the mini fridge?"** a gentle thumb over the shoulder towards the door smoothed the Brits concerned expression into a smile before she nodded and headed for the door, leading the way to the bar with the gunslinger at her side, pausing at the elevator and pressing the button to call the lift.

 **"One thing I should mention actually, it's quite important. You do know alcohol is illegal here right?"**

Jesse stared at her in disbelief for a moment **"Fuckin' serious? Then the hell are we going to the bar for?"** his hand swung towards the lift to emphasise his words

 **"They make good fruit cocktails"**

The elevator arrived with a melodic ping, the doors opening, the pair stood staring at each other before Jesse groaned and dragged a hand over his face before begrudgingly stepping into the elevator **. "These had better be the best dam cocktails I've ever tasted"** he muttered leaning against the back wall with his arms folded.

Lena chuckled and stepped into the elevator behind him **"No promises"** a gentle press of the button to take them to the top floor punctuated her words **"Oh, it's a no import country too. So, I took the liberty of removing your flask from your bag before we left Gibraltar"** a grin exploded across her face as she kept her back to the gunslinger as the elevator doors closed.

 **"Sonnuva bi-"**

O O O O

 **"Will you stop scratchin' like a dog with fleas? Yer jostlin' it all over the place"** Jesse hissed the command at Lena as they took the elevator to the ground floor of the hotel the next morning. Beside him the Brit was scratching at the black bob that was hiding her trademark mess of brunette spikes, an irritated look on her face. A sigh of annoyance escaped her when Jesse reached to pull her hand away from the wig, raising an eyebrow at her in warning beneath the brim of his black baseball hat.

 **"It's driving me mad! You try wearing it!"** Lena huffed and folded her arms, a pout forming on her features as she tried to distract her mind from the infuriating tingling sensation the wig was sending across her scalp **"It feels like there's ants crawling all over my head"**

Jesse shook his head, taking a moment to adjust his jacket sleeves and check his black t-shirt was tucked into his dark jeans. **"Trust me, there far worse things t'wear while Undercover. A wig ain't nuthin"** he could feel the curious gaze burning into his head before he had even finished speaking and exhaled gently **"We get through this without a hitch an' m'bbe I'll tell ya the story over a stiff drink"** tweaking the front of his hat his gaze cast across the elevator to look at the Brit who seemed to be contemplating the offer **"Deal?"** he prompted, the Brit frowning as the elevator doors opened.

 **"Deal"** she said with a nod, slowly adjusting her chronal device and sweeping her hands down over her blue dress gently, the pair stepping out into the Hotel lobby and exiting onto the street, walking towards the exposition.

O O O O

The streets had been lined with a number of banners to advertise various aspects of the expo; the university housing the genetic science technology, the famous gardens suitably showcasing some of the latest geological scientific advancements while the city centre opened itself to smaller creators and scientists, allowing them to set up their own stalls.

 **"So, they're only showing genetic, geological and DIY work?"** Lena folded her arms, looking around at the various stalls that lined the city centre streets, each attempting to gain the attention needed to have their idea recognised and hopefully be accepted into the Oasis community.

 **"Looks like they're trying to keep the sections tidy"** Jesse scratched at the scruff that lined his jaw as he skimmed through an English version of the expos pamphlet he had managed to liberate from a nearby table. **"Genetic science is lookin' at biology, genetic manipulation as well as physical and mental enhancements with technology. Geology is lookin' at environmental sciences, so ya might want'te saunter over there with that device o'yours to blend in..."**

 **"Nothing in there about surveillance? Weapons? Anything dangerous?"** Lena placed a hand on his arm as she tried to read the pamphlet over his shoulder, only for Jesse to hand it to her and set about fishing out an earpiece from his jean pocket and hooking it into position.

 **"Nothin' specific mentioned in the pamphlet but Winston sent me over some intel last night privy to Security guards. There's s'min in that tower they don't want normal guests layin' eyes on"** he nodded behind the Brit towards the large, enigmatic tower that commanded the skyline. Despite being unfinished, the building was already awarded the status of the world's tallest building and yet its purpose was still a well-kept secret. **"So ima see if I can get a look at what they're hidin' in there"** glancing around he plucked a lanyard from his back pocket, looping it around his neck before glancing to a clock to check the time. **"I best get going, keep yer comms online and lemme know if ya see anythin' suspicious"**

Lena nodded, taking a moment to also pluck a more discreet earpiece from a silver bag hung over her shoulder and placing it in her ear **"I'll check out the stalls and make my way towards the Geology section, see if I can dig up any intel"** both their voices were hushed, the pair aware of their surroundings and grateful for the rabble of excited guests to drown out their conversation. As the gunslinger moved to part ways Lena placed a hand out to stop him briefly **"Don't…do anything stupid"** she urged the gunslinger raising his eyebrows at her and plucking a pair of sunglasses from their former resting position balancing from the collar of his shirt, flicking open the arms of the glasses with a simple motion of his wrist.

 **"You askin' me to be careful?"** he prompted with a sly smirk **"I've been doin' this fer years, you jus' worry about yerself"** the dark sunglasses covered his brown hues as he set them on his face before he pulled away and walked off towards the University, Lena trying to hide the impressed look on her face as she watched him immediately engage and seemingly bond with another security guard he crossed paths with, the two males heading off towards the University. Taking a moment to adjust her wig slightly the Brit drew in a slow breath and headed towards the City Gardens for the Geology exhibit.

O O O O

The first few hours passed slowly for the gunslinger as he patrolled the expo. Brown hues remained hidden behind his dark aviators, shielding his watchful gaze from passers-by as he surveyed every stall, exhibitor and patron that he could. The heat certainly was unforgiving but fortunately the city had installed areas that would spray a cool mist of water when you passed by. Dressed in his dark security uniform, Jesse frequented these locations to cool off, not wishing to ditch the black bomber jacket that formed part of his Security uniform. Mainly because he had already been pulled aside by a few overzealous Oasis scientists in the area who had noticed his robotic limb and were keen to showcase the latest scientific breakthrough for prosthetics.

 **"Our new technology will make everyday tasks easier for you. You see, we have created the ultimate replacement. Lighter, faster, smarter and it comes in a variety of custom colours. I can see you're interested and we are still in the early stages of testing so what do you say to being one of the first to sign up for our trial?"**

Jesse frowned behind his shades, resisting the urge to drive his flesh hand into the face of the rotund scientist who had been manhandling and insulting his robotic limb for the past 10 minutes.

 **"Ima say it again. I ain't interested in bein' yer guinea pig. I'm just here to do my job, now if ya don't mind lettin' go of my arm I can be on my way"** Jesse peered over the rim of his glasses, eyebrows raising at the sweating scientist the second the man opened his mouth to argue. Podgy fingers released the metal limb, fumbling towards his lab coat pocket to fish out a handkerchief that shakily swabbed at a sweaty brow before plucking a small business card from the neatly stacked pile on the desk.

 **"Well, should you ever change your mind please give us a call mister-"**

 **"-none o'ya business. An' I won't. Enjoy yer day, Sir"** Interrupting the male, Jesse plucked the card away from the male's fingers and tucked it into his back pocket, pushing his sunglasses back into position and turning away from the stall with an irritated huff as he struggled briefly to roll his jacket sleeve back down over his robotic limb.

 **"Hey Jesse, how's gene watch going?"** Lena's chirpy voice over his earpiece quickly snuffed out his growing foul mood and caused him to divert his path away from a crowd of people forming around a demonstration on designer Gene Therapy for aspiring parents, instead aligning himself against one of the walls by an exit.

 **"Nothin' to report so far. Well, aside from stuck up scientists trying to tear strips out of me every time I walk past. I'm just waiting for one to try jamming a needle in my back for 'experimental research' reasons. I've also reunited three kids with their frantic parents, two elderly relatives and confiscated a pretty poor excuse for a taser from an exhibitor here. Dam thing nearly set fire to his stand"** the gunslinger wet his lips gently, casting his gaze about to ensure nobody was listening to him before resuming **"How about you, anythin' shady with the Eco-warriors?"**

Lena cast her eyes around gently, sighing and shaking her head before speaking. **"Nothing, although if I get anymore questions about my air purification device I'm going to need Winston on call to decipher what they are talking about."** Her arms folded across her chest as she leant against a lamppost thoughtfully **"Hey, you wouldn't happen to know what empirical prediction using synoptic situations means would you?"** her question was met with a long silence, the Brit frowning and turning her gaze away from a nearby scientist before subtly tapping the earpiece. **"Jesse?"**

On the other side of the expo, Jesse had his eyes on the a rather suspicious exchange occurring between two security guards whilst Lena was providing her update. The pair having apparently crossed paths to change shifts drew no attention to the ordinary man, but it was the way in which to two men had been cautiously glancing around prior to crossing paths that had peaked his interest. As a result, the subtle passing of a silver device between their hands in the middle of the University main hall had not gone unnoticed by the gunslinger. Jesse stiffened as he watched the device disappear into one of the guard's back pockets before they parted ways. One heading towards the Gardens and the one with the device heading towards some of the University offices, swiping their key card at a door and disappearing inside.

 **"Jesse? Everything ok?"**

Lena's concerned tone snapped him to attention, the gunslinger frowning and nodding before placing his finger to his earpiece **"Sorry, just s',min grabbed my attention. Do me a favour and keep an eye out for a security guard for me will ya? I reck'n we might be onto something after all"** straightening up the cowboy adjusted his baseball hat and began to move through the crowds, expertly side stepping those in his way while making his destination appear undetermined.

Lena also stiffened briefly, her gaze casting across the Gardens, her excitement rising at the prospect of a discovery **"Sure thing Luv, just tell me what I'm looking for"**

 **"Arab Male, approximately 5'11, 200lbs and what looked like a scar or a burn on his right cheek. Guy'll be wearin' standard security uniform and approachin' from the University."** Jesse stepped aside to allow a woman with her child pass him, flashing the pair a friendly smile before resuming his task of navigating across the room, finally approaching the main entrance to the University Offices.

 **"Roger that, I'll keep my eyes peeled."** She paused, taking a moment to gently scratch at her head and nod politely as someone she had been forced to engage in conversation with earlier, passed by and waved briefly, the Brit waiting for them to walk a suitable distance, for what she ascertained, to be out of earshot before speaking **"You're following someone else aren't' you Jesse?"** her words were a statement, she could hear the movement through the comms, the small urgency and slight distraction in his tone.

Casting a glance around the gunslinger smirked as he used his pass to gain access to the door he was stood at, the panel lighting up green, the door clicking to unlock before he fastened his hand around the handle and tugged it open slightly **. "O'course, now go keep an eye out for me?"**

 **"Like I have anything better to do?"** Lena jested, slowly beginning to resume her patrol of the Gardens.

 **"Well you could always go back to talkin' about emperors predicting cinnamon situations or whatever it was ya' said"** Jesse held the door ajar gently, careful to keep his voice hushed, a smile spreading across his features as Lena laughed at the other end of the comms.

 **"You mean empirical prediction using synoptic situations?"**

 **"That's what I said"**

 **"Sure, it was cowboy. I assume you've told Winston about this development?"** The click of Jesse ending the comms channel drew an irritated frown to her face **"I'll take that as a no then"** she muttered, opening up a line with Winston in Gibraltar before spotting the guard Jesse had described enter the Gardens and smiling slightly, following him through the crowds at a distance.

O O O O

Jesse huffed briefly, disabling his comms and checking around him a final time before ducking inside the offices. Carefully closing the door behind him with a click the air conditioning immediately blasted cool air over his body, causing him to tilt his head back so the breeze would pass over his face and soothe the slight red tone that had spread across is nose and cheeks from the Oasis sun. Even if this turned up nothing, the air conditioning in the hallway immediately made this worth investigating. However, the sound of voices drifting down the dimly lit hallway drew his attention away from the refreshing breeze, the gunslinger slowly and silently making his way down the hallway to investigate.

Footsteps were near silent against the marble floor as he navigated the long corridor. The sunglasses that framed his face and shielded his eyes from the sun and everyone outside, now hindered his own ability to effectively read the silver name plaques which adorned every door he passed and were quickly and carefully slotted into his jacket pocket. The names and places didn't mean much to him at a glance; merely the faceless individuals of high ranking Oasis Professors and scientists who made their home, so to speak, at the University and held no relevance to his snooping around. Therefore, his focus remained on the voices he had heard coming from the end of the hallway, and the guard that had entered the offices with what he assumed to be a silver USB drive in his back pocket.

 **"Agent McCree? Can you hear me? Lena said you are pursuing someone?"** Winston's voice over the comms drew an eyeroll from the gunslinger as he paused and slowly pressed his finger to his earpiece, keeping his voice hushed and his eyes alert.

 **"Tryin' to big guy. Noticed an exchange between two guards in the University hall, I got Oxton watchin' the other guy."** He could hear the frantic tapping on the other end of the channel as Winston.

 **"An exchange you say? Was it data? A weapon?"**

 **"Can't say yet, reck'n it was a USB o'sorts. Listen I really can't tal-"**

 **"McCree, Athena is reporting your location from within the Oasis University Labs. Your pass should not have permitted you entry to that building, it is not part of the patrol route assigned to the security detail for the event. How did you-"**

 _ **"Just a second, I swear I heard something"**_

 _ **"You're being paranoid, you keep this up and we'll miss the presentation. I have been waiting all week for this talk on Mankind's Manipulation of Molecular Genetic Evolution!"**_

Jesse froze as he heard the voices down the end of the hallway increase in volume and swiftly accompanied by approaching footsteps. The impending threat of discovery drew a grimace to his features as he reached behind, fastening his hand around the labs door handle and slowly pushed down. Breathing a sigh of relief when it opened without resistance, he quickly slipped inside, quietly closing the door behind him and immediately ducking down out of sight of the window, his back pressing up against the wall. As the footsteps drew nearer the gunslinger took a slow breath, holding it briefly and moving his hand to settle on the handle of the gun that was tucked into the waist of his dark jeans. Seconds passed, the gunslinger able to see the shadows of the individuals stood by the window on the floor in front of him, his fingers tightening around the gun handle, his heart pounding in his chest and driving adrenaline through his system.

 _ **"I told you there's nothing here, now can we go? If I miss even a second of this talk you're helping me write my thesis on the Biometric Decomposition of Termites"**_

 _ **"Fine, fine let's go"**_

After what seemed like an eternity, the shadows moved away, footsteps disappearing down the hall and allowing the American to exhale in slow relief and release his grip on the gun. Plucking the hat from his head he allowed his flesh hand to run through his hair before he responded to the primate over the comms.

 **"Close call, now you were sayin'?"**

Winston had ceased trying to communicate the moment he heard the voices McCree had, and also let out a slow exhale when the agents voice finally responded over the comms. **"Your pass should not have permitted you access to that building. Something is amiss here, and you say you witnessed an exchange of a USB drive?"**

Resting his arms over his knees Jesse nodded **"No doubt about it, guy got into this building no problem. Since I'm here, I'll do a bit o' research, see what I can dig up. M'bbe I'll run into the guard as well, see if I can't lift that drive from him"**

Winston nodded slowly **"Understood, just remember you are now in a restricted area and should you get caught-"**

 **"-I know, I've done this before. Quit yer belly achin'. Aint nobody going t' find out I was here"**

Jesse pushed himself to his feet, pausing with a scowl as he heard the brief mutter of the word 'Venice' from Primate over the comms, his hand balling into a fist at his side angrily. **"Now I know you didn't just say what I think you said Big Guy. So I'ma jus' let it slide and continue doin' my job. Probably best to go radio silent from here anyway…"**

 **"Wait, McCree I-"**

Disabling his comms and cutting off the Primate midsentence, the gunslinger tugged the earpiece from his ear and snatched his hat from the floor, slapping it angrily back into position before pausing and taking a slow inhale and closing his eyes. Angrily storming on was a sure-fire way to get himself caught and expose everything they were doing. A true Venice incident. Opening his eyes with a gentle exhale, the gunslinger adjusted his hat and moved back towards the door, peering into the hallway before resuming his path through the building. The silence from the comms actually serving as a welcomed addition to his investigation.

O O O O

Nearing the end of the corridor, he noticed one of the offices he was approaching was the only one so far with blacked out windows. Deeming the minor detail unimportant and irrelevant to the task at hand, Jesse fully intended to allow his hues to cast over the name plaque that resided beside it in the exact same manner as he had all the rooms prior. Instead, as his brown hues glanced at the name engraved on the plaque he stopped dead, jerking his head to read it in its entirety, his blood running cold;

Minister of Genetics

Dr M. O'Deorian

A quick glance around to ensure he was still alone, the gunslinger plucked his pass into view and gently pressed it against the security panel, a smirk forming on his grizzled features as the light turned green with a melodic jingle and the door opened.

 **"Bingo…."**


End file.
